Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USSOM253

Incident date

October 25, 2019

Location

Bu'aale, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

1.251778, 42.575959 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local reports claimed that a pair of airstrikes by unknown intertnational powers – presumably either the United States or Kenya – had targeted al Shabaab fighters in the towns of Jamaame and Buaale.

According to Radio Kulmiye, “Another airstrikes were reported [on Octoberr 25th] from Middle Jubba region, highly controlled by Al-Shabaab. Witnesses said that Jamame and Bu’ale districts were targeted by unspecified war planes. An official named Hussien is said to heve [been] wounded the airstrike and other militants were killed. There is no government claimed responsibility, but US and Kenyan governments always conduct air strikes to eliminate Al-Shabaab. Somali government is also yet to comment these strikes.”

Somalia Online News reported al Shabaab casualties at Buaale though not at Jamaame: ”Gunmen have attacked the villages of Jamame and Buale last night and reportedly killed al-Shabaab fighters and officials. Residents told the media that at Buale an al Shabaab officer called Hussein was wounded, with several members of al-Shabaab killed.”

Asked whether it had been responsible for this event, in February 2020 a senior AFRICOM official told Airwars that this was not the case. However, this may not preclude actions by the CIA which conducts its own undeclared strikes in Somalia.

The incident occured during the night.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the town Bu’aale, for which the coordinates are: 1.251778, 42.575959. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Kenyan Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Kenyan Military Forces
  • Kenyan Military Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (2) [ collapse]