The Civilian Harm Watchdog
Casualty Recording
Research
Investigations
Policy
About
Civilian Casualty Archive
Start Date
End Date
Site of the incident
Country
Country
Caribbean Sea (12)
Iraq (2)
Libya (13)
Pacific Ocean (10)
Somalia (453)
Yemen (446)
Iran (0)
Israel (0)
Lebanon (0)
Palestinian territories (0)
Qatar (0)
Syria (0)
Türkiye (0)
Ukraine (0)
Somalia
✕
Reported perpetrator (military, militant group, coalition, etc.)
Military Actor
Military Actor
EU Military (4)
International Forces (Unknown) (38)
Kenyan Defense Forces (2)
U.S. Forces (453)
United Arab Emirates Military (1)
7th Brigade (0)
Chadian Military (0)
Egyptian Military (0)
French Military (0)
Gaddafi Forces (0)
General National Congress (GNC) (0)
GNA/Turkish Military (0)
Government of National Accord (0)
Hezbollah Forces (0)
Iranian Military (0)
Israeli Military (0)
Jordanian Military (0)
Kurdish Forces (0)
Libyan National Army (0)
Libyan rebel forces (0)
LNA/UAE Military/Egyptian Military (0)
NATO forces (0)
Palestinian Militants (0)
Russian Military (0)
Syrian Democratic Forces (0)
Syrian Regime (0)
Turkish Military (0)
U.S. Security Contractors (0)
U.S.-led Coalition (0)
UK Military (0)
Ukrainian Military (0)
Unknown (0)
Yemeni Air Force (0)
YPG (0)
U.S. Forces
✕
The method of military action or operation type
Strike Type
Strike Type
Airstrike (437)
Drone Strike (117)
Airstrike and/or Artillery (5)
Artillery (1)
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground) (52)
Ground operation (15)
Naval bombardment (0)
Unknown (0)
Reported source(s) of harm
Causes of Death / Injury
Causes of Death / Injury
Accidents related to conflict (1)
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions (405)
Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO) (2)
Small arms and light weapons (39)
Unknown (28)
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) (0)
Denial of access to/destruction of objects indispensable to survival (0)
Electromagnetic weapons (0)
Incendiary (0)
Run over by vehicle (0)
Use of objects and other means (0)
Grade indicating the degree to which sources reported the same belligerent(s)
Strike Status
Strike Status
Contested strike (71)
Declared strike (321)
Likely strike (21)
Single source claim (40)
Grade indicating the strength of available reporting on civilian harm
Civilian Harm Status
Civilian Harm Status
Confirmed (5)
Fair (32)
Weak (26)
Contested (23)
Discounted (15)
Unknown (0)
Statements released by the perpetrator on their military action(s) and the resulting civilian harm if acknowledged
Belligerent Assessment
Belligerent Assessment
Credible / Substantiated (5)
Non credible / Unsubstantiated (47)
Not yet assessed (316)
Open incident (3)
Under investigation (1)
Duplicate (0)
People killed or injured, by demographic
Casualty
Casualty
Children (40)
Men (44)
Women (37)
Type of affected facility or location
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Agriculture (3)
Agricultural Land (0)
Livestock (1)
Silo (0)
Storage (0)
Equipment / Machinery (0)
Factory (0)
Education (2)
Nursery (0)
Primary School (0)
Secondary School (0)
University / College (0)
Vocational School (0)
Religious School (0)
Residential (1)
House (0)
Apartment Building (0)
Resources (1)
Power Station (1)
Gas Facility (0)
Oil Facility (0)
Solar Panels (0)
Dam (0)
Vehicle (2)
Car (0)
Truck (0)
Motorcycle (0)
Bicycle (0)
Bus (0)
Boat (1)
Commerce (0)
Market (0)
Bakery (0)
Grocery Store (0)
Shop (0)
Communications (0)
Internet (0)
Mobile (0)
Cultural Site (0)
Emergency Services (0)
Police Station (0)
Civil Defense Station (0)
Financial (0)
Bank (0)
Healthcare (0)
Hospital (0)
Ambulance (0)
Clinic (0)
Temporary Healthcare Facility (0)
Humanitarian (0)
Evacuation Route (0)
Food/Water Distribution (0)
Aid Convoy (0)
IDP or Refugee Camp (0)
Legal (0)
Courthouse (0)
Prison (0)
Ministry (0)
Media (0)
Radio Station (0)
Religious (0)
Mosque (0)
Prayer Space (0)
Transportation (0)
Road (0)
Bridge (0)
Airport (0)
Border crossing (0)
Port (0)
Warehouse (0)
Construction Material (0)
Raw Material (0)
Consumer Goods (0)
Military (0)
Water (0)
Well (0)
Water tank (0)
Desalination Plant (0)
Search
Order results by:
Incident Date
↓
Publication Date
453 incidents
Incident Date
12–13 September, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM092
Location
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
The US carried out an air strike on September 13th, killing six al Shabaab members, according to a press release from US Africa Command. The strike took place at approximately 0215 local time (1115 GMT), hitting an area in southern Somalia about 260km south of the capital, AFRICOM said. The original press release said three…
Summary
Published
12 September 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
7 September 2017
Incident Code
USSOM091
Location
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had conducted "a precision airstrike in Somalia against al-Shabaab on Thurs., Sept. 7 at approximately 2:45 p.m. local Somalia time". The release made no mention of civilian harm. However, AFRICOM asserted that the strike had killed "one (1) terrorist". The strike was carried out under authorities passed in…
Summary
Published
7 September 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
5 September 2017
Incident Code
USSOM090
Location
Tortoroow and Dodale, Bay, Somalia
On 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
Published
5 September 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
31 August–1 September, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM089
Location
حرمك, Kunya Barrow near Barawe, Middle Juba, Somalia
The US said it carried out a strike near Barawe in southern Somalia on August 31st, killing one al Shabaab fighter and wounding one other. AP reported that "At least one missile struck a location outside Barawe that the extremists often use to launch attacks on the government-held town, a Somali intelligence official said. He…
Summary
Published
31 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
(
Drone Strike
)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
25 August 2017
Incident Code
USSOM088-C
Location
Bariire, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US military and the Somali government announced they were investigating reports that ten civilians, including three children, were killed during an operation on a farm in Bariire, in Somalia's southern Lower Shabelle region. However, on November 28th 2017, the US published a press release concluding that only "armed enemy combatants" were killed. Earlier that…
Summary
Published
25 August 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Civilians reported killed
10
Military actors reported killed
0–6
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
16–17 August, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM087-C
Location
Sheikh Ahmed Yare, 15 miles from Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia
Seven civilians from the same family including a wife and husband died in US airstrikes which reportedly hit civilian homes near Jilib, according to two reports. The victims are named below. The US announced it carried out a series of attacks between August 16th and 17th, allegedly killing up to seven al Shabaab fighters. However…
Summary
Published
16 August 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
,
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
7
Military actors reported killed
7
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
10 August 2017
Incident Code
USSOM086
Location
Shashweyne, Banaadir, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information request obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in the vicinity of Shashweyne, Bandir region, Somalia against al-Shabaab fighters. In its FOIA response, AFRICOM again confirmed it had targeted what it says were "AS fighters", in the vicinity of Shashweyne, Banadir…
Summary
Published
10 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
10 August 2017
Incident Code
USSOM085
Location
Banaadir, Somalia
The US carried out two "kinetic" strikes against al Shabaab members in the Banadir region of southern Somalia on August 10th, US Africa Command announced. There were no known associated public reports of civilian harm. As AFRICOM itself has treated these as distinct events, we have separated them here. A press release from the Somali…
Summary
Published
10 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
30 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM084
Location
Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed a US strike killed Ali Muhammad Hussein, believed to be a high-level al Shabaab commander. No civilians were reported to have been killed or injured in the strike. The strike took place in Tortoroow in southern Somalia at around 1500 local time on July 30th, reportedly killing Jabal alone. Africom…
Summary
Published
30 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
,
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
29 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM083
Location
Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
On November 17th, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported actions, which included this strike. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information about…
Summary
Published
29 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
28 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM082
Location
Southern Somalia, Bay, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. No casualties were reported. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did…
Summary
Published
28 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
23 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM081
Location
Galcayo, Mudug, Somalia
A suspected al Shabaab associate who once lived in the US was arrested during a mission in Somalia, a US Africa Command spokesperson told AP. It was a Somali-led mission with “limited tactical advisory support” from the US, spokesperson Jennifer Dyrcz said. The suspect, identified as Abdirizak Tahlil, was accused of “facilitating the use of improvised…
Summary
Published
23 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
21 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM080
Location
Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
On November 17th, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. No casualties were reported. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not…
Summary
Published
21 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
20 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM079
Location
Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information…
Summary
Published
20 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
15 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM078
Location
Sunguuni, Lower Juba, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information…
Summary
Published
15 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
13 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM077
Location
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
US 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
Published
13 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
2
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
5 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM076
Location
Luglaaw, Lower Juba, Somalia
US forces were involved in a "self-defence strike operation" with Somali National Army (SNA) forces "against an al Shabaab troop concentration" in the country's south, according to an Africa Command (AFRICOM) press release. The statement did not include a casualty count, saying it "will continue to assess the results of the operation, and will provide…
Summary
Published
5 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
,
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
10–13
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
2 July 2017
Incident Code
USSOM074
Location
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
A US airstrike in the Lower Shabelle region targeting al Shabaab insurgents killed one member of the terror group, according to AFRICOM. The victim may have been the leader of the group's intelligence wing, Andullahi Haji Daud. There are currently no known associated reports of civilian harm. The strike hit in the south of the…
Summary
Published
2 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
2–10 July, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM075-C
Location
O'wdhiile, 55 miles south of Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
An airstrike reportedly killed up to two civilians in O'wdhille, a village about 55 miles south of Mogadishu, according to findings from a field investigation by The Nation. Reporter Amanda Sperber detailed the account of Osman [not his real name] whose relatives were reportedly killed in the strike: "Around 5 pm in early July 2017, Osman…
Summary
Published
2 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
11 June 2017
Incident Code
USSOM073
Location
Bohol Jawarey, Middle Juba, Somalia
A US strike on an al Shabaab "command and logistics node" killed eight members of the group, according to a US Africa Command press release. There were claims that Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame, a commander of the terror group's intelligence wing was killed in the strike, though this was not confirmed by AFRICOM. No civilians were…
Summary
Published
11 June 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
(
Drone Strike
)
Military actors reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
3 June 2017
Incident Code
USSOM072
Location
Welmarow, Lower Juba, Somalia
AFRICOM denied conducting any recent airstrikes in Somalia, a VOA journalist reported - following recent claims of US activities in the Lower Juba region. According to SomNews, US forces had conducted a helicopter assault on the village of Welmarow on the evening of June 3rd: "Helicopters thought to be from United States military have launched …
Summary
Published
3 June 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
4–5 May, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM071
Location
دار السلام, Andalus Radio, Darusalaam, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
In the first confirmed US kinetic operation since President Trump designated Somalia an active war zone in March 2017, one US Navy serviceman was killed and two or three others injured during an operation against al Shabaab in Somalia on May 5th (local time), the first declared American service member death in combat in the…
Summary
Published
5 May 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
,
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
4–9
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
,
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
14–15 April, 2017
Incident Code
USSOM070
Location
Wargaduud and El Adde, Gedo, Somalia
Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Somali security officials and residents as claiming that over 100 al Shabaab fighters, including 20 commanders, were killed in US air strikes on the morning of April 15th. The attack was denied by US Africa Command, which said the US military had not conducted the action. In an explicit statement…
Summary
Published
15 April 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
100–105
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
24 February 2017
Incident Code
USSOM069
Location
Hawina, north of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
Somali news outlet Mareeg reported a suspected drone strike on an al Shabaab controlled village. Mareeg reported an eyewitness as saying: “We heard several bomb explosion caused by drone airstrikes in Hawina village.” He added: “It is not clear how many people have been killed or wounded it is very difficult to know the real…
Summary
Published
24 February 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
(
Drone Strike
)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
7 January 2017
Incident Code
USSOM068
Location
Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia
In the last declared Somalia strike of Barack Obama's presidency, the US conducted a “self-defence strike” against al Shabaab on January 7th, according to a US Africa Command press release published on January 10th. The strike was conducted “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, Somali partner forces, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)…
Summary
Published
7 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
,
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
5–6 December, 2016
Incident Code
USSOM067
Location
Omar Beere/Ibrahim Ali Berre camp near Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Two media organisations reported a possible US air operation targeting an al Shabaab base in the Lower Shabelle region. Dalsan Radio reported that Somali commandos backed by US Special Forces had attacked al Shabaab bases in Omar Berre in Lower Shabelle overnight using helicopters. It also quoted what it said was an eyewitness: "'We heard several…
Summary
Published
6 December 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
28 September 2016
Incident Code
USSOM066-C
Location
Jehdin, 30 km east of Galkayo, Mudug, Somalia
A US drone strike on September 28th killed at least ten members of a local friendly militia and not al Shabaab militants as the US had initially believed, according to local communities and an investigation by the Washington Post. Between three and 16 additional members of the Galmadug militia were injured. At least one source,…
Summary
Published
28 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
(
Drone Strike
)
Civilians reported killed
0–12
Military actors reported killed
10–22
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
26 September 2016
Incident Code
USSOM065
Location
Caba, Lower Juba, Somalia
The 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
Published
26 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
,
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
4–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
,
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
10 September 2016
Incident Code
USSOM064
Location
سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, this previously unknown confirmed US strike took place in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia against an unspecified "al-Shabaab Named Objective". This incident was not previously publicly known. No further details are currently available.
Summary
Published
10 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
Incident Date
5 September 2016
Incident Code
USSOM062
Location
Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants. According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under attack. Garowe…
Summary
Published
5 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
,
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
,
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident
→
←
1
…
11
12
13
14
15
16
→
