A/HRC/24/40 1. Pro-Government forces and protection of civilians. 42. The Independent Expert is aware that in recent years, pro-Government forces, and AMISOM in particular, have placed increased attention on minimizing civilian casualties, in particular through updated policies, tactical directives and training of troops. AMISOM adopted an indirect fire policy in 2011. Through its rules of engagement and its standard operating procedures, AMISOM mandates that its troops exercise the highest level of professionalism in order to minimize the risk of harming civilians even under imminent danger from insurgents’ mortar attacks. However, available reports indicate that civilian casualties have continued, resulting mostly from aerial attacks, as well as naval and ground engagement, by pro-Government forces, including international forces. There is no mechanism to determine the number of civilian deaths attributable to pro-Government forces. 43. Examples of civilian casualties allegedly caused by pro-Government forces include the following received from various sources. They are cited here to provide a general picture of the nature of the incidents: (a) On 12 April, the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) allegedly shot and killed a man and injured three others in a mosque in the Kooshing neighbourhood area east of Beledweyne, in the Hiraan region. ENDF claimed that it reacted in self-defence; (b) On 26 March, a 17-year-old secondary-school girl was killed by a Somalia National Armed Forces (SNAF) element in the Singale village area in Hodan District, Mogadishu. According to a report, the victim was shot after she refused orders by the perpetrator to remove her veil and uncover her face. The SNAF element was immediately arrested by another SNAF officer and is currently in custody; (c) On 1 April, two women were killed and another injured by SNAF uniformed armed elements in Hodan District. The killings took place when the SNAF elements fired at a minibus carrying khat in an attempt to rob the merchandise; (d) On 2 April, according to media sources corroborated by the UNPOS Human Rights Unit, SNAF elements stormed a café in the local market of Belet Hawo, in the Gedo region, and captured two men who were taken to a police station where they were allegedly shot dead. The bullets also killed a student who was walking nearby; (e) On 7 March, it was reported that at least one man was killed and three others injured in Calanlay village in Kismayo after a SNAF soldier opened fire at a khat market that he was going to rob. The perpetrator later escaped the scene; (f) Media reports indicate that on 22 April, SNAF allegedly killed at least two civilians in Garasweyne (50 km west of Hudur), in the Bakool region. A local organization reported to the UNPOS Human Rights Unit that both victims were allegedly Al-Shabaab militants. 2. Al-Shabaab and extrajudicial killings. 44. Al-Shabaab increased the use of victim-activated (pressure plate) improvised explosive devices. Moreover, it continued to perpetrate suicide attacks, beheadings and summary and extrajudicial killings, including the following: (a) On 19 June 2013, nine assailants, including two suicide attackers, targeted the premises of the United Nations common compound in Mogadishu. All nine assailants died. One international staff member of the United Nations Development Programme and three United Nations contractors were also killed, as were four Somali guards. Some civilians were also killed and many others injured. The United Nations common compound 9