A/HRC/15/48 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 16 September 2010 Original: English Human Rights Council Fifteenth session Agenda item 10 Technical assistance and capacity–building Report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, Shamsul Bari* Summary Intensified fighting in Mogadishu beginning late August between armed militant groups, Al–Shabaab and its allies, and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces supported by AMISOM has led to serious worsening of the human rights and humanitarian law situation in Somalia. More civilians were killed or injured during this period than at any other time in the recent past. The drawing of the fighting into areas populated or frequented by civilians, and the use of imprecise mortars by all parties causing severe casualties and property damage continued to be a matter of serious concern. There have been persistent allegations that heavy retaliatory mortar fire by AMISOM troops has been responsible for many civilian casualties. The recruitment, training and use of children in the conflict, especially by the armed militants, continued unabated. While recruitment of girls has been rare and is generally regarded as socially unacceptable, there are documented accounts of girls working for armed opposition groups, particularly in cooking and cleaning. Girls are also brought in to transport detonators, for logistics, and intelligence collection, though they do receive weapons training as well. The lack of schooling for children has made them especially vulnerable for recruitment by armed groups. In territories controlled by armed insurgents, many civilians do not have access to humanitarian aid and they are at increasing risk of being punished under arbitrary interpretations of sharia law. Journalists and civil society activists have seen their space for work restricted by threats, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and killings. * GE.10-16152 The report was submitted after the deadline in order to include the most recent developments.