Library image of an armed Reaper drone, December 2019 (US Air Force/ Senior Sergeant Haley Stevens)
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
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
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
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
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.
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
US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab in an area around 50 kilometres north of Kismayo, a US Africa Command spokesperson later told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Post-strike analysis had not revealed the number of militants killed, a US spokesperson told the Bureau in an email exchange on July 31st. The event
Unknown aircraft were reported to have struck the vicinity of Qalimow village about 60km north of Mogadishu on the night of July 24th-25th. Villagers told local media that several missiles had targeted Al-Shabab vehicles. The attack – which almost all sources said was by drone – followed the recent recapture of Qalimow from Somalia forces.
A strike reportedly hit a village outside Marka, a city around 60 miles south of Mogadishu, according to a field investigation by a reporter for The Nation. There were no reports of immediate civilian harm, though a man reportedly died of a heart attack following the violence. Airwars has placed this event in a date
An airstrike near the village of Jawaari was variously blamed on US and Kenyan forces. Mareeg, a Somali news outlet, reported a strike by unidentified jets which it said had potentially killed eight members of al Shabaab. The terror group itself reportedly denied that any of its fighters were killed. The source of Mareeg’s information
An American Special Forces soldier was killed – later named as Staff Sergeant Alexander Conrad – and four others were wounded in an attack by al Shabaab fighters in Jubaland. A member of a partner force was also killed or injured. The US soldiers were among a large force of 800 Somali and Kenyan soldiers
US Africa Command told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) in July 2018 that it had carried out two strikes in early June – one previously undisclosed. The second took place on June 3rd, and targeted members of al Shabaab approximately 24 miles southwest of Bosasso, according to AFRICOM. “We currently assess no terrorists and
On June 4th 2018, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants approximately 26 miles southwest of Bosasso, Somalia, on June 2”. It added: “We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “twenty-seven (27) terrorists.” As Voice of America noted, “Saturday’s airstrike
A suspected airstrike in a field outside Bariire, a village 30 miles west of Mogadishu, killed three boys and left one woman injured, according to The National. Journalist Amanda Sperber met Halimo Mohamed Abdi, a herder who was injured in the action: “The blast broke both her hips, left shrapnel embedded in her thigh, and
AFRICOM reported on the same day that it had “conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants approximately 30 miles southwest of Mogadishu, Somalia, on May 31”. It added: “We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “twelve (12) terrorists”. In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by
A late night US strike on the village of Arbiska was reported by Radio Shabelle. According to the local news outlet, “Suspected American fighter jets were reported to have carried out an overnight airstrike in Lower Shabelle region, targeting Al-Shabaab bases, residents said. The strike happened on the outskirt of Arbiska village, located near the capital,
Five civilians were reportedly killed in a US and/or Somali-waged ground operation – possibly also involving airpower – in the Lower Shabelle region, local and international media reported. The US denied allegations of harm on several occasions. The raid was reportedly carried out by Somalia commandos, with the US saying American troops supported the mission
US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab militants on April 16th near Leego, an Africa Command spokesperson told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in early May. AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm. An AFRICOM spokespersons noted that “No terrorists were killed and no equipment was destroyed in this strike.” Leego is described
AFRICOM reported that two days previously it had “conducted an airstrike destroying an al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device near Jana Cabdalle, Somalia, on the afternoon of April 11.” AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm. Additionally, AFRICOM did not state whether any belligerents had been killed in this strike. In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab militants near Jilib, Somalia, the afternoon of April 5”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “three (3) terrorists” and destroyed “one (1) vehicle with a mounted heavy machine gun.” In a
Up to four civilians, including one child and one woman, were killed along with up to five al Shabaab fighters as a US airstrike struck El Burr, Galmudug, international media reported. Following a year of denials, US Africa Command admitted in April 2019 that civilians had in fact died in the event – and that
AFRICOM publicly reported that two days earlier, it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab on the morning of March 19 near Mubaarak, Somalia”. The press release made no mention of civilian harm. However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “two terrorists”, wounded another “three terrorists” and destroyed “one vehicle”. Voice of America reported the following:
A US airstrike killed 12 al Shabaab militants and wounded another 15 members as Jamecco, Middle Shabelle was struck, AFRICOM reported. The US carried had carried out ten strikes since the start of the year, a US Africa Command spokesperson confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) at the start of April, which had
AFRICOM said that it had carried out a strike on “al Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Kamsuuma” on March 12th. It made no mention of civilian harm. The US had already carried out ten strikes since the start of the year, a US Africa Command spokesperson confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ)
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Feb. 26, in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed two terrorists and wounded two more. Shabelle Media Network had reported a strike carried out
Up to five people, including two reported civilians, were killed in a US military airstrike that hit in the vicinity of Jamaame, in Somalia’s Lower Juba region, international media reported. According to a US Africa Command press release, a US strike on al Shabaab killed four members of the group. VOA reporter Khadar Hared tweeted that
AFRICOM reported that two days previously it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Feb. 19, in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the attack had killed “three (3) terrorists.” Voice of America said that “Local residents in the region reported
The US carried had so far carried out ten strikes since the start of the year, a US Africa Command spokesperson confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) at the start of April, which had recorded only six publicly reported strikes. The spokesperson provided details on the strikes BIJ had not recorded: “The first
The US confirmed it had accompanied Somali troops in a mission that rescued 30 to 32 boys from an al Shabaab indoctrination centre in the Lower Shabelle region. However, during the rescue attempt, fire reportedly from Somali forces reportedly killed four or five children, and a teacher. A later US government FOIA response indicated that
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Jan. 18, approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Kismayo”. It added: “No civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “four (4) terrorists.” In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM