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 subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again confirmed it had struck on this date what it says were “al Shabaab fighters”, in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

AFRICOM reported that the previous day, it had “conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants near Lebede, Somalia on November 30, 2018”.

It said that there had been no civilian harm. However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike had killed “nine (9) militants”.

Voice of America reporter Harun Maruf provided a more detailed location. “Statement says strike location is near Lebed, but local sources say exact target is a mountain called Geelway. It’s the 37th strike by US in Somalia this year.”

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM confirmed it had struck on this day what it says were “al Shabaab fighters”, in the vicinity Ledbe, Somalia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

US Africa Command reported that the day previously, it had “conducted two airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Baqdaad, Somalia, on January 7, 2019.”

AFRICOM stated that “At this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in these airstrikes.” According to AFRICOM “four militants” were killed in the strikes.

AFRICOM added that “The airstrikes were conducted in collective self-defense of our Somali partners after they were engaged by al-Shabaab militants.”

Separately, Somalia’s national intelligence and security agency NISA tweeted that “In a planned operation to hunt down a commander of the militant group al-Shabaab, in the village of Baghdad in the Afgoye district, security forces killed four (4) members of Alshabab after their commander fled.” [translation]

Airwars has listed these as two separate confirmed strikes for this date, with zero deaths assigned as a tally to this event and four to the other. It is not however clear how many died in each event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

United States Africa Command declared its second airstrike of 2020, stating in a press release issued on the same day that it had killed two al Shabaab terrorists “in the vicinity of Qunyo Barrow.”

SONNA, the official Somali agency, gave slightly more information on the action, stating that said the attack had taken place on the afternoon of January 16th, some 25km north of Kunya Barrow.

Xinhua quoted Somali government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar as saying: “This strike and other recent battlefield successes show the FGS (Federal Government of Somalia) and its partners’ resolve in bringing to justice those who terrorize and exploit the citizens of Somalia and its East African brothers and sisters.”

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Several days after the events, US Africa Command press released that it had conducted five airstrikes in the vicinity of Janaale during March 16th-17th. Somali state media and government reported the same strikes but said they took place on March 15th-16th.

AFRICOM said the actions were in support of ground operations by Somalia forces, while noting that “U.S. forces were in the area when these airstrikes occurred in order to advise and assist Somali and partner forces.”

Unusually, the US gave no enemy casualty figures for the strikes – while noting that “These precision airstrikes targeted members of the al-Qaida-aligned terrorist network as they massed and maneuvered in the vicinity of an ongoing Somali-led ground operation.”

Sonna state media – citing the Ministry of Information – gave slightly different information. It said the attacks had taken place on March 15th-16th – a day earlier. It also stated that “the strikes left several al-Shabaab members killed and significantly reduced the group’s ability to conduct operations against SNA and AMISOM forces in Janale effectively.”

Airwars has set the minimum casualty range at two for this and each of the other four events during the battle for Janaale – and will update as more accurate information becomes available.

The strikes came during a major ground operation by the SNA and AMISOM, supported by US troops, to capture Janaale from the terror group al Shabaab. Early reports made no mention of the US role, focusing instead on the actions of Somali and Ugandan troops.

Halgan Media gave the following description of the battle: “Six unmarked helicopters were spotted hovering over the town of Janaale shortly before the assault began. A joint contingent of Somali, US and AMISOM forces stationed nearby later began the ground assault.

“The joint contingent were traveling in 47 [vehicles] while in route to the Al Shabaab controlled town of Janaale according to sources. Upon reaching the periphery of the town, the Somali and allied Foreign forces came under heavy fire from Al Shabaab militants, sparking fierce clashes. The coalition forces where able to withstand the hail of Al Shabaab bullets and penetrate the Militants line of defense. The Somali, US, and AMISOM forces entered the town of Janaale shortly after the clashes.

“Upon entering the town a military convoy carrying the coalition forces struck a roadside bomb.  Per sources the vehicle was severely damaged and engulfed in flames. The casualties from that blast still remain unknown. The armed group Al Shabaab withdrew from the town shortly after the encounter, as the strategic town of Janaale fell to coalition forces. The expulsion of Al Shabaab from Janaale comes five years after Militants previously overran the town after killing dozens of Ugandan troops.”

AFRICOM later announced it had killed 15 Al Shabaab member in the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.