Civilian Casualties

Radio Andalus, Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

Airstrikes by an unknown party destroyed part of an al-Andalus radio station in Jilib – a propaganda service run by the terror group al Shabaab. At least one person described as a journalist was reported injured or killed. According to Middle East Monitor, “An air strike; believed to be American, has destroyed the Al-Andalus radio

Summary

0 – 2

شبام, Shibam, Hadramaut, Yemen

LOCATION

At least one drone strike, which one local-language Twitter source @A_GHALEB63, alleged to be American, reportedly targeted suspected AQAP militants in the Shibam district of Hadramout governorate, from November 3rd to November 4th 2018. No information was available on alleged casualties of the reported strikes. Local residents told Aden News that they heard an explosion

Summary

LOCATION

Somalia

Responding to allegations that it had conducted a November 18th airstrike on a radio station in Jilib, AFRICOM informed local media via Twitter that “it has not conducted an airstrike in Somalia since Nov. 3.” There were no publicly reported strikes on this date, and Airwars has reached out to AFRICOM for clarification. U.S. Africa

Summary

شبام, Shibam, Hadramaut, Yemen

LOCATION

A single source, Aden News, suggested that US airstrikes had targeted AQAP sites in the Shibam district of Hadramout governorate, on the evening of November 2nd 2018. Aden News reported the following: “Urgent: Explosion on the express line of the Shibam Hadramout Directorate and citizens talk about a drone strike. Local residents in the Shibam district

Summary

حرمك, Vicinity of Kunyo Barrow, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

AFRICOM publicly reported that it had “conducted conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow, Somalia, on October 25, 2018”. It added: “We also currently assess this airstrike did not injure or kill any civilians.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike “killed two (2) militants and destroyed one (1) vehicle.” Voice

Summary

Bulo Haji, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

In an alleged civilian harm event previously unrecorded by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a declassified AFRICOM report obtained in Spring 2019 identified a claimed event near Kismayo in October 2018. According to Casimada, “The strike against Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab group was conducted in Bulo-Haji area near the town, killing at least 3 children, a

Summary

(3 children)

Araara, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

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

Summary

LOCATION

Jowle, Mudug, Somalia

At least 60 and as many as 117 al Shabaab fighters were killed in a US strike on October 12th, it was reported. The location appears to have been a training camp, according to Voice of America, which noted: “A Somali official says the strike happened near the village of Jowle, about 20 kilometers southwest

Summary

60–117

حرمك, Kunyo Barrow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

AFRICOM reported that the day previously it had “conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab militant in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow, Somalia, on October 6, 2018.” It added: “We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the action killed “(1) terrorist”. In a subsequent FOIA response obtained

Summary

Ceel Gadde, El Adde, Gedo, Somalia

LOCATION

One woman and several children were wounded by an alleged US drone strike in El Adde town, Gedo, as up to ten al Shabaab members were targeted and killed, local media reported. Somali media site Mareeg reported that a US drone strike had injured women and children. Anonymous sources said the victims had been been

Summary

3–5

US Forces, Unknown

Al-Shabaab

Baasra, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

According to a single source, an airstrike by an unknown party hit the strategic village of Basra in Middle Shebelle. Goobjoog News stated that “Reports indicate that Airstrikes hit last night at Basra village in the Middle Shabelle Somalia. Residents of Basra village told Goobjoog News there were heavy attacks in the village amid reports

Summary

Jamaame, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

US forces carried out a strike approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Kismayo after al Shabaab fighters attacked Somali forces, according to a US Africa Command press release. Nine al Shabaab fighters were allegedly killed and another injured, the US command claimed. The press release said AFRICOM had assessed that no civilians were killed or injured

Summary

50 km northwest of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

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

Summary

Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)

Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons

Causes of injury / death

18–20

سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

At least three children were killed as up to 12 al Shabaab members were targeted and killed by a night time airstrike, local and international media reported – though it was unclear who was behind the attack. Several senior al Shabaab officials were killed or wounded in an airstrike, Somalia intelligence officials reportedly said. The

Summary

(3 children)

US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces, Ethiopian Military Forces

Al-Shabaab

العشار, Al Ashar, Al Bayda, Yemen

LOCATION

Two Yemeni National Army soldiers, including a Colonel, were reportedly killed by a US drone strike in Al Ashar, Yakla area of Bayda governorate, on the evening of September 18th 2018, according to multiple sources. Some however instead variously indicated that the strike killed two AQAP members, or two civilians. In a later press release,

Summary

1 – 2

(1–2 men)

مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

CENTCOM for September 9, 2018 – September 18, 2018

Original

Annotated

Report Date

September 18, 2018

Original Report

Web link

Nov. 6, 2018

Release Number 20181106-01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CENTCOM updates counterterrorism strikes in Yemen

TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Central Command conducted two counterterrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen in September, bringing the total number of air strikes to 36. In October, there were zero air strikes.

September strikes include Sept. 9 in Abyan and Sept. 18 in Al-Bayda governorates.

“Despite a decline in counterterrorism air strikes against AQAP, they continue to pose a significant threat,” said Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a USCENTCOM spokesman. “We remain vigilant and will continue to work by, with and through our regional partners to disrupt, deter and destroy AQAP.”

LOCATION

In a US strike in Mubaraak, two al Shabaab militants were killed along with a combatant with US partner forces, a US statement asserted the following day. Members of al Shabaab and the partner forces were also left wounded. US forces carried out a strike during a Somali partner forces-led operation against al Shabaab in

Summary

Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)

وادي المرون, Wadi Al Maroun, Abyan, Yemen

LOCATION

Four alleged AQAP militants, including a leadership figure, were reportedly killed by a US drone strike against a car in Wadi Al Maroun, in the Khabr, Al Maraqisha area of Abyan governorate, on the morning of September 9th 2018. A US strike against AQAP in Abyan on that date was confirmed in a later US

Summary

40 km southwest of Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

US forces carried out a strike on August 27th killing three alleged members of al Shabaab, US Africa Command declared two days later, The strike hit approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. The official statement read: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants approximately 40 kilometers

Summary

46 km northeast of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia

LOCATION

US forces carried out a strike on August 21st, killing two al Shabaab fighters, according to a press release from US Africa Command. The strike hit approximately 46 kilometers northeast of Kismayo, a port city in southern Somalia. The Command said it had assessed that no civilians were killed or injured in this strike. US

Summary

Basra, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

An investigation by journalist Amanda Sperber identified a possible US airstrike near Basra around the time of Eid in August 2018, which allegedly killed between 10 and 12 members of the same family. Airwars has provided a relatively wide date range for this event, based on limited reporting. The investigation, published by The Nation in

Summary

10 – 12

(1 man)

0–2

12 named, 1 familiy identified

LOCATION

البيضاء, Al Bayda, Yemen

A US airstrike targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate on August 14th, according to CNN National Security reporter Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75). On August 30th, US Central Command stated that “six counterterrorism air strikes” against AQAP had been conducted since May 16th 2018, in “Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al-Bayda governorates”. The declared strike dates included August 14th. There

Summary

Vicinity of Baladul-Rahma and Geeshaan, near Basraa, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

In a major Amnesty International report on civilian harm in Somalia, published in March 2019, the NGO made passing reference to a civilian harm event on August 14th the previous year in the vicinity of Baladul-Rahma and Geeshaan, near Basraa. According to the report, “on 14 August 2018, the US military conducted additional air strikes

Summary

Leego, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

CENTCOM for May 25, 2018 – August 14, 2018

Original

Annotated

Report Date

August 14, 2018

Original Report

Web link

Aug. 30, 2018

Release Number 20180830-02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. –U.S. Central Command has conducted six counterterrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist network in Yemen in three separate governorates since May 16, bringing the total number of air strikes to 34.

These include air strikes May 25, two airstrikes June 23 and 30, two airstrikes July 22 and 24, and one Aug. 14. These air strikes took place in Shabwah, Hadramawt and Al-Bayda governorates.

A recent United Nations report assessed AQAP leaders recognize Yemen as a hub for external operations.

“AQAP has taken advantage of the conflicts in Yemen, to plot, direct and encourage terror attacks abroad,” said Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a USCENTCOM spokesman. “We will not relent on our pursuit of AQAP terrorists as they remain a significant threat to regional security and stability, and the safety of Americans at home and abroad.”

LOCATION

Local reporters alleged that US and Somali forces had killed four civilians including a mother and child, during an operation in Leego. Caasimada alleged that the civilians were killed around midnight, by Somali troops accompanied by ‘white US officers’, and claimed that the attacking forces had flown there from a military base to the north.

Summary

Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)

(1 child1 woman)

Small arms and light weapons

Somali Military Forces

Al-Shabaab

3–4

Gobanle (Gobaale), Lower Shabelle, Somalia

LOCATION

Three civilians were reportedly killed in a US strike in Gobanle village, according to Amnesty International – though US Africa Command claimed that only four “terrorists” were killed. However an AFRICOM declassified assessment of the event published in July 2019 indicated that the US itself was unaware of the identities of those in the vehicle

Summary

(3 men)

1–4

الروضة, Al Rawda, Ma'rib, Yemen

LOCATION

A US drone strike reportedly targeted a house in the Al Rawda area of Marib governorate on August 1st 2018, killing four and wounding others. One source, The Yemen, indicating that those killed were civilians: “Today, Wednesday, local sources said that four civilians were killed and others wounded, following a US air strike on a

Summary

LOCATION

حضرموت, Hadramaut, Yemen

A US airstrike targeted AQAP in Hadhramout governorate on July 24th 2018, according to US Central Command. There were no known associated reports of a strike in Hadhramout on that day. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism noted in its original summary of this event that “US Central Command said it conducted strikes on July 22

Summary