US Forces in Somalia

US Forces in Somalia

Library image of an armed Reaper drone, December 2019 (US Air Force/ Senior Sergeant Haley Stevens)

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Incident Code

USSOM420

Incident date

February 24, 2024

Location

Jilib Marka, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 24th of February, 2024, the Federal Government of Somalia released a statement claiming that attacks by Somali government forces and international partner forces, conducted early in the morning of the same day, had killed 30 Al-Shabaab militants at a meeting point in the village of Jilib Marka, in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. However, multiple sources pointed to US involvement in the strikes, with one referring to it as a “drone strike”.

According to Halqabsi News, reporting on the 24th of February, the Somali government statement specified that the forces involved in the operation had “targeted a gathering of Al-Shabaab” and also “confiscated a military cache used in their operations” after actionable intelligence had been obtained. Halqabsi News reported that the operation had included an airstrike and that the attacks had been conducted before dawn.

A similar report on the attack from the Shabelle Media Network, also dated the 24th of February, contained the headline “Suspected U.S. airstrike kills at least 30 Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia”. The news site AxAdle (February 24th) more specifically classified the attack as a drone strike, stating that it was “the second strike by the U.S. Africa Command in collaboration with the Somali National Army”.

On the same day, Halbeeg News stated that the operation had led to the destruction of vehicles in the Al-Shabaab ‘base’ and further noted that “the government also claimed to have killed ring leaders”.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    30

Sources (5) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    30

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM421

Incident date

February 23, 2024

Location

Al-Shabaab bases in Galhareeri district, Galhareeri district, central Somalia, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 23rd of February, 2024 senior Al-Shabaab commanders were reportedly killed in an airstrike announced by the Somali military and conducted against bases of the militant group in Galhareeri district, central Somalia. However, the number of Al-Shabaab members killed or injured in the strike remains unknown.

An online report on the airstrike was made by Radio Dalsan who stated, on the 23rd of February, that the strike was “carried out by the Somali National Army, supported by international allies” and added that the strike had “targeted the militants’ largest bases in Galhareeri district,” killing “senior commanders”. The Radio Dalsan report further claimed that the strike was launched “when a substantial number of Al-Shabaab members were present at the targeted base”.

To date, there have been no reports of civilian harm as a result of the airstrike.

While no sources directly implicated the US in the operation, the Somali government’s reference to “international partners” has in the past indicated US involvement.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM422

Incident date

February 23, 2024

Location

Farah-Adan and Jawle in Harardhere district, Mudug region, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 23rd of February, 2024, the Somali National Army (SNA), supported by international partners, reportedly conducted a night-time military operation against Al-Shabaab in the Farah-Adan and Jawle areas of Harardhere district in Mudug region, central Somalia. It was reported that several Al-Shabaab leaders were killed in the attack, however the exact number of Al-Shabaab members killed has not been confirmed, and their identities remain unknown. To date, there have been no reports of civilian harm as a result of the operation.

The military operation was reported by Shabelle Media on the 24th of February. The report stated the location of the attack and also referred to comments from Maslah Macalin, the General Secretary of Harar Dheere district who “told the government media that members of Al-Shabaab, including leaders and militias, were killed in the operation last night, but he did not say how many”.

Additionally, on the 24th of February, a brief statement containing the approximate time and location of the operation (Farah-Adan) was posted online by MENA FN, quoting a report on the attack by the Kuwait News Agency. Halbeeg News posted a similar statement on February 24th which referred to information released by the Government of Somalia, and noted that the operation had been conducted in cooperation with “allied forces”.

While no sources directly implicated the US in the operation, the Somali government’s reference to “international partners” has in the past indicated US involvement.

The incident occured during the night.

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
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–4

Sources (4) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Somali Military Forces
  • Somali 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
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2–4

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM419

Incident date

February 17, 2024

Location

Kuntu Waarey District and the El-Wadalan area of the Galcad district, Lower Shabelle and Galgaduud provinces, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 17th of February, 2024, the Somali National Army (SNA) announced that they had conducted two airstrikes against Al-Shabaab militants with assistance from “international partners”. According to a statement from the Somali Ministry of Defense, one strike was conducted in the Kuntu Waarey District in Lower Shabelle and another was carried out in Galcad Town in the Galgaduud region of central Somalia. The statement made no mention of any civilians being injured or killed as a result of the strikes.

The Ministry of Defense statement went on to claim that “these operations resulted in the elimination of 15 militants and the injury of over 20, including ring leaders, along with the destruction of military assets”.

The Somali Ministry of Defense statement was reported on by Anadolu Agency which published an online article, dated the 17th of February. The article noted that the airstrikes were backed by “unnamed international partners”. Dalsan TV, a Somali television channel, similarly reported the details of the strikes contained within the Ministry of Defense statement using a video dated the 17th of February and posted online via X/Twitter.

While no sources directly implicated the US in the operation, the Somali government’s reference to airstrikes has in the past indicated US involvement.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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
  • Suspected attackers
    Somali Military Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    15
  • Belligerents reported injured
    21

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

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

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US 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
  • Suspected attackers
    Somali Military Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    15
  • Belligerents reported injured
    21

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM418

Incident date

February 15, 2024

Location

Jilib, Middle Juba region, Somalia

Airwars assessment

Two Cuban doctors, general medicine specialist Assel Herrera and surgeon Landy Rodriguez, were reportedly killed in a declared U.S. airstrike (possibly drone strike) conducted around 12:05am on the 15th of February 2024 in the town of Jilib, in the region of Middle Juba, Somalia. The militant group Al-Shabaab stated via Telegram that it had captured the two doctors on the 12th of April, 2019 in Kenya and further claimed that they were killed in an airstrike conducted by AFRICOM (United States Africa Command) which had struck a house in Jilib. The statement from Al-Shabaab also contained two photos which claimed to show the dead body of one of the two doctors.

A CNN report on the incident, dated the 17th of February, quoted a response from AFRICOM spokeswoman Lennea Montandon who said that “the command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as available”. VOA News (Voice of America) reported on the 19th of February that Montandon did confirm that “an airstrike was conducted against Al-Shabaab on February 15th near Jilib”. Montandon also acknowledged that AFRICOM was “aware of reports of a strike alleged to have killed two civilians”. However, she added that there was “no further information” regarding the allegations. Furthermore, the report from CNN quoted an unnamed ‘U.S. defense official’ who “said that there was no credible evidence that there were any civilian casualties in the strike”.

AFRICOM released an official statement on the 28th of February that “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command carried out an airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group near Jilib, Somalia, on Feb. 15. U.S. Africa Command has assessed that one al-Shabaab militant was injured in this operation. The command is aware of the reports made by al-Shabaab of civilian casualties related to this strike. The command takes all reports of civilian casualties seriously. The command is conducting a review and will provide additional information as available.”

The strike was widely reported by a variety of media outlets. These included Anadolu Agency whose reporting, on the 17th of February, focused on the initial statement released by Al-Shabaab and the response from the Somali Ministry of Defense. Anadolu Agency’s report included the claim by Al-Shabaab that the US had been “deliberately targeting the prisoners for several months”.

Moreover, a series of online posts quoting the contents of the Al-Shabaab statement were made online by the Somali Guardian via X/Twitter, Caribbean News UK, and independent journalist Zakeriye Axmed, in addition to CTNSIS: a strategic counter-terrorism intelligence briefing service with a focus on East and Central Africa.

One article on the strike by Kenyans.co.ke, dated February 18th, reported the reaction of the Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel and the Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry, who initially stressed the fact that the deaths of Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez, at the time, remained unconfirmed – a sentiment also repeated in a tweet posted by the Cuban embassy on February 18th. However, a tweet from @SomaliGuardian reported that “Cuban Ministry of Health contacts of families of two doctors held hostage by Al-Shabaab in #Somalia to inform them that they have been killed in an aerial bombardment”.

The report by Kenyans.co.ke contextually noted that the two doctors “came to Kenya following a 2017 health exchange programme where Cuban doctors arrived in the country to help fill gaps in county hospitals”. On the 17th of February, Garowe Online observed that there had been “concerted efforts to rescue the doctors including behind-the-scenes meetings involving government officials in Somalia, clan elders, Al-Shabaab, and the governments of Cuba and Kenya”.

The incident occured at approximately 12:05 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Assel Herrera
Adult male killed
Landy Rodriguez
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men2 healthcare_personnel)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Source: @GaroweOnline
  • Source: Kenyans News
  • Source: Kenyans News
  • Source: @ZakeriyeAxmed

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @CTNSIS

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command carried out an airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group near Jilib, Somalia, on Feb. 15.

U.S. Africa Command has assessed that one al-Shabaab militant was injured in this operation.

The command is aware of the reports made by al-Shabaab of civilian casualties related to this strike. The command takes all reports of civilian casualties seriously. The command is conducting a review and will provide additional information as available.

The command takes great measures to prevent civilian casualties. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command's operations to promote a more secure and stable Africa.

U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this malicious terrorist group from planning and conducting attacks on civilians.

Somalia remains key to the security environment in East Africa. U.S. Africa Command's forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to degrade al-Shabaab.

U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men2 healthcare_personnel)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Impact
    Healthcare
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM417

Incident date

February 9, 2024

Location

in the vicinity of the village of Yaq Dabel, Lower Juba, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 9th of February, 2024, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab near the village of Yaq Dabel, located to the west of the city of Kismayo in Lower Juba, Somalia. AFRICOM released a statement on the 14th of February regarding the strike which made reference to an initial post-strike assessment that two Al-Shabaab militants had been killed in the attack and that no civilians had been injured or killed. The statement from AFRICOM classified the attack as a “collective self-defense airstrike” and added that the strike itself consisted of five separate ‘engagements’.

The airstrike was reported by several different media outlets including the Ethiopian Addis Standard, Garowe Online, and Antiwar.com. Antiwar.com noted that this was the first known U.S. airstrike in Somalia for the month of February, whilst adding contextual information about the U.S supported Somali campaign against Al-Shabaab.

Independent journalist Zakeriye Azmed also posted a statement regarding the strike online via X/Twitter containing information from the AFRICOM statement, whilst observing that Somali armed forces had conducted an operation against militants in the same area just days before, according to Somali state media.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @addisstandard

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with five engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Feb. 9.

The collective self-defense airstrike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Yaq Dabel, Somalia.

The initial post-strike assessment indicates that the U.S. airstrike killed two al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were harmed.

U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of this airstrike and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security.

Al Shabaab is the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests. U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this malicious terrorist group from planning and conducting attacks on civilians.

Somalia remains key to the security environment in East Africa. U.S. Africa Command's forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to degrade al Shabaab.

U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM413

Incident date

January 24, 2024

Location

the town of Gal Hareri, Galgaduud, central Somalia, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 25th of January, 2024, an alleged Somali or US drone or air strike was conducted against the Al-Shabaab militant group in the town of Gal Hereri, in the Galgaduud region of Central Somalia, killing at least 20 militants, according to Somali regional and military officials. One woman, Maido Yusuf Abdulle, was reported to have been fatally injured in the drone strike, and was one of ten civilians killed or injured, according to Mogadishu News.

On the 25th of January, VOA News (Voice of America) quoted the Galmudug Regional Security Minister, Mohamed Aden Gaboobe who announced that “Somali military forces, supported by international partners, conducted the strike in the town of Gal Hareri, targeting sites used by militants to manufacture improvised firearms, bombs and other explosives”. According to Uzalendo News, a Kenyan online newspaper, Mohamed Aden Gaboobe had also stated that the strike had additionally “targeted Radio Andalus, Al-Shabaab’s mouthpiece in Somalia.”

VOA News noted that no details were provided regarding which international partners’ “drones were involved in the strike”. VOA News further emphasized that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had “often conducted such strikes in Somalia at the request of Somalia’s federal government”. However, one Somali security official, who had requested anonymity, told VOA News that Turkish drones “were also providing air support to Somali forces”.

M.M. Dhoore, a former BBC journalist and current managing editor of SNTV London stated that the number of militants killed in the strike was higher, quoting Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) which claimed that 30 militants had been killed, including 11 “top commanders”. The released list of the 11 commanders killed included Abdi Jarin Shan-Bogolle and Abdullahi Maalim Bashir. Haberler.com reported that Abdi Jarin Shan-Bogolle was known as one of the ‘Khawrij’ founders in the Galgaduud region. ‘Khawrij’ is the preferred term recently used by the Somali government to refer to the Al-Shabaab militant group.

On the 27th of January, Mogadishu News posted a tweet on X/Twitter regarding the attack, stating that 10 civilians had been killed or injured, including women and children. Mogadishu News also referred to unnamed pro-Al-Shabaab media sources who, they said, had “released photos of the victims of the airstrike”.

The Mogadishu News X/Twitter post also referred to reporting that Maido Yusuf Abdulle, a mother of two children, had “succumbed to her injuries” on the 27th of January, following the strike, which they attributed to the US. The claim that 10 civilians were killed or injured by the strike was repeated by independent Somali journalist Huda Farhan, who tweeted a statement which was identical to that of Mogadishu News.

On the 26th of January, one user of the social media platform Telegram, Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada, posted a series of very graphic photos showing the dead bodies of individuals allegedly killed or injured in the strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Maido Yusuf Abdulle
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 10
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–10
  • 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 attackers
    Somali Military Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    20–30

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @dhoorebbc

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @dhoorebbc

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Mogadishu_News
  • Source: @dhoorebbc

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @UzalendoNews_KE

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram
  • Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

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

Media
from belligerent (2) [ collapse]

  • Source: @dhoorebbc
  • Source: @dhoorebbc

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 10
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–10
  • 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 attackers
    Somali Military Forces, US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    20–30

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM415

Incident date

January 24, 2024

Location

Remorse area in the vicinity of Caad, Mudug, eastern Somalia, Somalia

Airwars assessment

On the 24th of January, 2024, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab in a remote area near the town of Caad in the Mudug region of eastern Somalia. AFRICOM stated that six Al-Shabaab militants were killed in the strike and assessed that no civilians were injured or killed.

AFRICOM released a statement on the 26th of January announcing that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24. The strike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Caad, Somalia. The initial assessment is that the U.S. airstrike killed six al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.”

On the 26th of January, Jeff Seldin, national security correspondent for VOA News (Voice of America) posted a brief statement regarding the strike using X/Twitter, however the post only contained the basic details contained in the AFRICOM public statement, namely the location of the strike, the number of militants allegedly killed, and the assessment that there had been no civilian casualties. These details were similarly reported by Garowe Online in a tweet dated the 27th of January.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (5) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al Shabaab

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24.

At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with three engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 24.

The strike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Caad, Somalia.

The initial assessment is that the U.S. airstrike killed six al Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.

U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of this airstrike and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security.

Al Shabaab is the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests. U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this malicious terrorist group from planning and conducting attacks on civilians.

Somalia remains key to the security environment in East Africa. U.S. Africa Command's forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to degrade al Shabaab.

U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    6

Sources (5) [ collapse]