Airwars assessment
On the 24th of January, 2024, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab in a remote area near the town of Caad in the Mudug region of eastern Somalia. AFRICOM stated that six Al-Shabaab militants were killed in the strike and assessed that no civilians were injured or killed.
AFRICOM released a statement on the 26th of January announcing that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24. The strike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Caad, Somalia. The initial assessment is that the U.S. airstrike killed six al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.”
On the 26th of January, Jeff Seldin, national security correspondent for VOA News (Voice of America) posted a brief statement regarding the strike using X/Twitter, however the post only contained the basic details contained in the AFRICOM public statement, namely the location of the strike, the number of militants allegedly killed, and the assessment that there had been no civilian casualties. These details were similarly reported by Garowe Online in a tweet dated the 27th of January.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (5) [ collapse]
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al Shabaab
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24.
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24.
The strike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Caad, Somalia.
The initial assessment is that the U.S. airstrike killed six al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.
U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of this airstrike and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security.
Al Shabaab is the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests. U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this malicious terrorist group from planning and conducting attacks on civilians.
Somalia remains key to the security environment in East Africa. U.S. Africa Command's forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to degrade al Shabaab.
U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.