Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Four al Shabaab fighters were killed as the US carried out a strike in Somalia in the vicinity of Araara, Lower Juba region, after partner forces came under attack from small arms fire, a US Africa Command press release stated.
The press release called it a “collective self-defense airstrike.” No US service members were apparently present on the ground during what it said was a Somali-led operation.
The strike killed four al Shabaab fighters, the press release claimed, while assessing that no civilians were harmed.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the vicinity of Araara, for which the coordinates are: 0.026888, 42.682822. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (4) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
"In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a collective self-defense airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Araara, Somalia, on October 14, 2018.
We currently assess this airstrike killed four (4) terrorists.
We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.
The airstrike was conducted after partner forces came under small arms fire. No U.S. service members were present on the ground during this Somali-led operation."