The US reported in a press release published on September 27th that it had conducted a “self-defence strike” in Caba near Kismayo the previous day, killing four al Shabaab fighters .

The press release said that a group of armed al Shabaab fighters attacked the Somali force and their US advisors. The Somali forces returned fire, but could not stop the attack. The US said that they conducted the strike in response:

“On September 26, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Caba, near Kismayo, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked, threatening the safety and security of the Somali force and their U.S. advisors. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense, killing several militants.  However, enemy fighters continued to attack the Somali force. In response, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) enemy fighters.”

Garowe Online placed the attack “about 45km west of Kismayo” in Kanjaron district, and said five al Shabaab fighers were killed and several commanders captured.

The Long War Journal questioned whether the strike was in fact defensive, noting that “AFRICOM’s latest so-called self-defense strike against Shabaab highlights the difference between the rhetoric and the reality of the Obama administration and the US military’s deployment of forces against jihadist groups overseas. The administration and the military often insist that US forces are deployed in countries such as Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen in a purely “advise and assist” role and are not engaging in combat operations. And yet, in the case of the Somali raid that targeted Shabaab training camps, US forces clearly are operating in a combat environment — if you raid an al Qaeda camp, you should expect to be engaged in direct fighting. In this instance, clearly AFRICOM was prepared for forces to engage in battle, as US air assets were on station.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants.

According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under attack.

Garowe Online offered a more detailed report based on its local sources: ” A Somali commando unit backed by US special forces have launched anti terror raid on Al Shabaab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region on Sunday night, killing senior militant commanders, Garowe Online reports. A local resident revealed to GO, that the allied forces have encountered a heavy resistance, which led to hours-long gunfight around the rebel-held Toratorow town, 120 km west of Somali capital, Mogadishu.

“Witnesses told GO that U.S. military used helicopters in the raid and dropped Somalia’s newly US-trained Danab soldiers on the outskirts of the town to hunt for the militants on foot. Sources confirmed the death of three high-ranking Al Shabaab commanders in the airstrike targeted on suspected hideouts of Al Shabaab leaders’ hideouts.”

Voice of America also reported on the incident – though referred only to the AFRICOM statement, noting that “‘During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area,’ said Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman.”

Al Shabaab itself denied any casualties in the attack, according to VOA reporter Harun Maruf.

Airwars is treating these as separate events for this date. We have assigned three deaths to this incident only, to avoid double counting.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants in total.

According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under attack.

Garowe Online offered a more detailed report based on its local sources: ” A Somali commando unit backed by US special forces have launched anti terror raid on Al Shabaab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region on Sunday night, killing senior militant commanders, Garowe Online reports. A local resident revealed to GO, that the allied forces have encountered a heavy resistance, which led to hours-long gunfight around the rebel-held Toratorow town, 120 km west of Somali capital, Mogadishu.

“Witnesses told GO that U.S. military used helicopters in the raid and dropped Somalia’s newly US-trained Danab soldiers on the outskirts of the town to hunt for the militants on foot. Sources confirmed the death of three high-ranking Al Shabaab commanders in the airstrike targeted on suspected hideouts of Al Shabaab leaders’ hideouts.”

Voice of America also reported on the incident – though referred only to the AFRICOM statement, noting that “‘During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area,’ said Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman.”

Al Shabaab itself denied any casualties in the attack, according to VOA reporter Harun Maruf.

Airwars is treating these as separate events for this date. We have assigned one death to this incident only, to avoid double counting.

The local time of the incident is unknown.