(Previous Incident Code: SOM044C)

Two media organisations reported a possible US air operation targeting an al Shabaab base in the Lower Shabelle region.

Dalsan Radio reported that Somali commandos backed by US Special Forces had attacked al Shabaab bases in Omar Berre in Lower Shabelle overnight using helicopters. It also quoted what it said was an eyewitness: “‘We heard several blasts on the outskirts of Omar beere location near Tooratoorow overnight. We can’t confirm how many people died in the attacks,’ said local resident Hussein Mohamed.”

Shabelle Media Network said that fighter jets believed to be US military conducted an air strike targeting a base. Sources told the network that helicopters were also used to target al Shabaab’s Ibrahim Ali Berre camp. it added that “Reliable sources tell Radio Shabelle that several Al shabaab foreign commanders were nabbed in a ground military operation at Ibrahim Ali Berre near Tararow district after the airstrike.”

The US said at the time that they had not conducted an operation in the area. A spokesperson from AFRICOM told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism however that over the night/morning of December 5th-6th, the Somali National Army had conducted a mission to disrupt al Shabaab, killing one alleged fighter. US forces were working with the Somali army as advisors, the spokesperson added.