UNOSOM II claimed that the gathering was a war council composed of hardliners taking place at an SNA command center, making it a legitimate military target, but never produced evidence to justify its claims. In contrast, Somali accounts of the raid maintain that the meeting was a peace conference in which eminent elders, SNA moderates, and civilians convened to discuss a proposed diplomatic resolution to the escalating conflict between the SNA and UNOSOM II. The 12 July operation was heavily criticized by the UNOSOM II justice department, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Organization of African Unity.
