Incident date
June 16, 2023
LOCATION
Saakow, Middle Juba, SomaliaA civilian was injured by alleged Kenyan or United Arab Emirates or US airstrike on Saakow in Middle Jubba on June 16/17, 2023. Horn Observer reported that a civilian was injured by airstrikes in Saakow, possibly carried out by Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, or the US. Hormuud, Somalia’s largest telecom provider, also announced that
Summary
Incident date
September 26, 2016
LOCATION
Caba, Lower Juba, SomaliaThe 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
Summary
Incident date
July 10, 2018
LOCATION
Jawaari, Middle Juba, SomaliaAn 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
Summary
Incident date
January 19, 2019
LOCATION
Between Araare crossing and Muse Haji, near Baar Sanguni, Lower Juba, SomaliaUp to 73 al Shabaab fighters were killed in a confirmed retaliatory strike conducted by US Africa Command. On the same day as the attack, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike targeting militants near Jilib, Middle Juba Region, Somalia, on January 19, 2019.” The airstrike was apparently conducted after a large contingent of
Summary
Incident date
May 8, 2019
LOCATION
Ameyra, 150 km south of Bosasso, Bari, SomaliaThe US military carried out an airstrike targeting an ISIS-Somalia encampment in the Golis Mountains, according to a press release from AFRICOM. The strike killed 13 fighters from ISIS-Somalia, in what was the third recent declared strike against ISIS. AFRICOM said it currently assessed that no civilians were harmed. The statement further noted: “We are supporting
Summary
Incident date
August 20, 2019
LOCATION
Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe United States reported conducting an airstrike against al Shabaab in the vicinity of Qunyo Barrow on August 20th, which it asserted had “killed one (1) terrorist.” According to a press release issued on the same day, “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab terrorist
Summary
Incident date
November 30, 2019
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe US military reported on the same day that it had carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Jilib against al Shabaab fighters. It was not clear which of two locally reported targets – or indeed both – were struck. Unusually, AFRICOM made no mention of the number of militant fighters it believed had
Summary
Incident date
March 2, 2020
LOCATION
حرمك, Vicinity of Kunya Barrow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaBoth US Africa Command and the Somali government declared on the same day two airstrikes in the vicinity of Kunya Barrow. There were no known local claims of associated civilian harm. According to the AFRICOM press release, “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab terrorists
Summary
Incident date
May 11, 2020
LOCATION
Haway, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaOne Al Shabaab member was allegedly killed in a US strike on Haway. The Horn Observer wrote: “A separate airstrike in Haway neighbourhood in Lower Shabelle region targeted another camp where the militant had gathered on Monday. Local sources and Mogadishu-based intel officers have told Horn Observer that Mustaf Ato, the special adviser of al-Shabaab’s
Summary
Incident date
February 17, 2021
LOCATION
Hantiwadaag, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA single source alleged a US drone strike on Hantidawaag which AFRICOM later denied. Halgan Media wrote: “US drones just bombed the village of Hantiwadaag in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle province and struck a vehicle carrying a group of Al Shabaab fighters – Sources.” AFRICOM responded to a request from Airwars: “U.S. Africa Command’s last strikes
Summary
Incident date
January 25, 2023
LOCATION
Almiskad mountains, Bari, SomaliaAn ISIS leader and 10 of his associates were killed by a declared US counterterrorism operation in the Almiskad mountains of Bari region, Somalia on January 25, 2023. One US service member was injured during the operation when a dog bit him. AFRICOM initially released a statement that “the U.S. military conducted a successful counterterrorism operation
Summary
Incident date
August 26, 2023
LOCATION
in the vicinity of Seiera, Lower Juba, Somalia13 al-Shabaab militants were killed by declared US airstrikes in the vicinity of Seiera in Lower Jubba on August 26, 2023. AFRICOM announced that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against al Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Seiera, Somalia, approximately 45 kilometers northwest
Summary
Incident date
March 10, 2015
LOCATION
Tortoroow (and Ambereso), Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA single news source reported that “unidentified armed drones” targeted two alleged al Shabaab camps. Witnesses said the attacks hit camps in the towns of Torato and Ambereso. The regional governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur confirmed the strikes but said the death toll had not been confirmed, although the terror group had sustained “human and material
Summary
Incident date
July 13, 2017
LOCATION
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, SomaliaUS and Somali special forces carried out a night raid on an al Shabaab-held village in southern Somalia, the district commissioner and a senior Somali intelligence official told reporters. It was the second US operation in the village in two weeks. “Several al-Shabaab fighters” are thought to have been killed according to NBC. Two helicopters
Summary
Incident date
January 2, 2018
LOCATION
Bariire, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaAFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early morning hours of Jan. 2, 2018, approximately 50 kilometers west of the capital [Mogadishu]”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “two terrorists” and destroyed “one vehicle-borne improvised
Summary
Incident date
October 6, 2018
LOCATION
حرمك, Kunyo Barrow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaAFRICOM 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
Incident date
June 24, 2019
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe US military declared carrying out an airstrike targeting al Shabaab militants in Jilib, according to a press release issued on the same day by US Africa Command. According to the statement, “At this time, it is assessed the airstrike killed one (1) militant. Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result
Summary
Incident date
September 24, 2019
LOCATION
Near Ugungi, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaIn an incident not originally declared publicly, AFRICOM officials later confirmed to Airwars that they had conducted a strike against al Shabaab in the lower Shabelle – for which they did not report either any militant or any civilian harm. Public Affairs Current Operations Branch Chief, Desiree Frame, told Airwars by email dated October 4th
Summary
Incident date
January 7, 2019
LOCATION
Baqdaad, Lower Juba, SomaliaUS 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
Summary
Incident date
January 16, 2020
LOCATION
حرمك, 25km north of Kunya Barrow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaUnited 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
Summary
Incident date
March 15, 2020
LOCATION
Vicinity of Janaale, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaSeveral 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
Summary
Incident date
September 7, 2020
LOCATION
IVO Janay Abdalle, Lower Juba, SomaliaSeveral militants were allegedly killed or injured by an Al Shabaab VBIED and subsequent exchange of gunfire near Janay Cabdalle. The New York Times reported: “Three Somali military officers were killed and two others injured along with an American service member in a bombing in southern Somalia on Monday, the authorities said, the latest example
Summary
Incident date
March 13, 2022
LOCATION
Hareri Gubadle, Galguduud, SomaliaAt least 200 Al Shabab militants were killed by an alleged joint operation between US drone strikes and Somali forces carried out in Hareri Gubadle, near Wabho Township in Galgaduud region. The date of the operation is unknown but was reported on March 13, 2022. The East African reported that the Somali government announced that
Summary
Incident date
February 22, 2023
LOCATION
Hiiraan, Somalia20 alleged al-Shabaab militants were killed by a Somali forces and “international partner” airstrike in Hiraan region on February 22, 2023. Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Somali state television which announced that 20 al-Shabaab militants traveling in a vehicle were killed in airstrikes carried out by Somali intelligence forces in cooperation with international allied forces. There were no
Summary
Incident date
January 21, 2024
LOCATION
35 km northeast of Kismayo, Lower Juba, SomaliaOn January 21st, 2024, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted a drone strike against the Al-Shabaab militant group 35 kilometers northeast of the city of Kismayo in the Lower Juba region of Somalia, reportedly killing three militants. To date, there have been no reports of civilian casualties in connection to the strike. Two days later, on
Summary
Incident date
June 28, 2011
LOCATION
Taabta, Lower Juba, SomaliaIn a news feature looking at drone strikes in Somalia, Somalia Report stated that on this day, “another [US] attack occurred in Taabta village in the Afmadow District of Lower Juba.” The report indicated that the target was al Shabaab. “AFRICOM does have terrorism in its list of applications and as of June JSOC’s hunter killers
Summary
Incident date
April 1, 2016
LOCATION
Buufow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaAt least four and up to 23 al Shabaab fighters were reported killed in a US airstrike at Buufow, near Janaaale. However more than three years later, one civilian fatality was also alleged. Two US actions on April 1st and April 2nd were later said to be “self-defence air strikes against al Shabaab fighters who
Summary
Incident date
September 5, 2017
LOCATION
Tortoroow and Dodale, Bay, SomaliaOn September 5th 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had conducted a precision airstrike in “central Somalia” against al-Shabaab militants that same day at approximately 9:50am local Somalia time. The release made no mention of civilian harm. However, AFRICOM asserted that the strike had killed “three (3) terrorists”. The action, it said, had hit in the
Summary
Incident date
April 5, 2018
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaAFRICOM 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
Summary
Incident date
November 30, 2018
LOCATION
Geelway mountain, Mudug, SomaliaAFRICOM 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