US forces carried out a ‘self-defence strike’ against al Shabaab on September 21st approximately 50 km northwest of Kismayo and killing 18 al Shabaab members, according to a press release from US Africa Command.

According to AFRICOM “The U.S. airstrike was conducted against militants after U.S. and partner forces came under attack. We currently assess eighteen (18) terrorists were killed in the strike. Two (2) other terrorists were killed by Somali forces with small arms fire during the engagement. We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.”

AP added more detail: “No U.S. or Somali forces were killed or injured in the attack, an AFRICOM spokesman, Nate Herring, told The Associated Press. The airstrike was carried out Friday in self-defense after extremists were ‘observed maneuvering on a combined patrol,’ while the U.S. also responded with ‘indirect fire,’ the spokesman said. The confrontation occurred about 31 miles northwest of the port city of Kismayo, the U.S. Africa Command statement said. Two other al-Shabab extremists were killed by Somali forces ‘with small arms fire during the engagement,’ it said.”

There are no known civilian harm allegations associated with this event.

In a possible match, SNA Radio  reported several days later that “#Somali National Army killed Foreigner senior #Alshabaab leader from #Afghanistan, whose name is identified Nasir Aljabiri and 18 others members of Al shabaab at #JilibMarka Town in Lower Shabelle region.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.