Some Zambia Army soldiers who took part in the Special Forces military drill for public exhibition in Mbala are nursing serious injuries after being hit by explosives, News Diggers has learnt.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that some personnel died during the operation which was witnessed by President Edgar Lungu on Saturday, while several other survivors were flown to Lusaka’s Maina Soko Military Hospital, where they were admitted.
Confirming the incident, Zambia Army Public Relations Director Col Luswepo Sinyinza, however, dismissed reports that some soldiers died, saying those who were injured in the operation had all recovered and were back in camp.
“Yes there was an incident here but it is a normal thing, you know shrapnels (fragments of a bomb), as you are firing live rounds, there are those debris which come out, so a few were injured. Not the way you have written it that someone has died, no. Just a few were injured from the shrapnels. You know, it was on a rocky surface so you expect those shrapnels to fly off and a few were injured, but they are okay,” Col Sinyinza said.
Asked if the injured were in stable condition, Col Sinyinza said, “they are okay, they are back in the camp.”
But a source from the military who witnessed the event and sought anonymity said some soldiers died because the Air Force personnel that was involved in the operation had not sufficiently rehearsed for the drill, and ended up firing missiles on targets too close to the ground forces from the Zambia Army.
“They have killed people and now the boss (President Edgar Lungu) is even in the Copperbelt. I don’t think he is even aware of this. Those are students, they are not experienced pilots who can go and start demonstrating such operations to the public. I saw ZNBC covered it but there was nothing about those who have died from the missiles from the aircraft. Now they want to keep it quiet? No, people have died. People need to face the consequences of forcing operations with pilots who are not ready to do such things,” said the source.
Another source explained that other soldiers who were injured were marines whose boat was hit by debris from the air to land missiles dropped by the Air Force.
“The operation used live ammunition, so there are two solders who were hit by stray bullets, I think somewhere on the shoulder. He did not die but he was badly injured. Another incident involved squadron of marines. The shrapnels hit them and one who was badly injured had to be rushed to the hospital in Lusaka,” said the source.
4 Responses
Mind you 10% is allowed to die whilst on training,but if the casualties go above 10% then board of inquiry is supposed be setup to look into circumstances which lead to that fatalities.As it is is okay Defense is supposed to proceed as if nothing as happened ,that’s how defense operates . Whether death or no death defence is supposed to go forward without fear or favor.Those you seeing are commandos ,there motto is “Fear not death but defeat “.If you are coward don’t dare to join Defense Forces
So here you train to kill yourselves? Indeed you are honorable idiots.
During such military exercises 10% of casualties is permissible. That’s very normal,this is why it is a challenging career.
Where is investigative journalism in this country? It seems our journalists only end up relying on third party informers. We need you to dig out the truth. Give us the names of those who have died. Its simple to do so. Visit their funeral houses. Otherwise, this story lacks merit if you can rely on those sources you’re talking about. Our journalists are just too lazy that’s why they don’t win international awards.