Library image of an armed Reaper drone, December 2019 (US Air Force/ Senior Sergeant Haley Stevens)
In its latest actions in support of Somali ground forces, AFRICOM confirmed that it had conducted airstrikes on al Shabaab positions “in the vicinity of Qeycad” on August 1st. Statements published by both the Somali Ministry of Information and Galmudug State referred to two separate strikes, which Airwars is therefore treating as separate events. According
Between 12 and 117 alleged al-Shabaab militants were killed by declared AFRICOM airstrikes and/or Somali National Army operations in Donlaye, near Amara town, on February 10, 2023. AFRICOM released a statement on February 12th that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia and in support of Somali National Army engagements against al-Shabaab, U.S. Africa
On the 26th of May, 2023, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of an ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) forward operating base in Bulo Marer, 75 miles southwest of Mogadishu, Somalia. To date, there have been no reports of civilian harm with regard to the airstrike, while a
A US drone strike near Bariire on October 16th was confirmed by the US military. However, numerous allegations of civilian harm by international media have been denied. Whilst US Africa Command did not initially publish a press release regarding this strike, they confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism at the time that they carried
The US declared on the same date an airstrike in the vicinity of Jilib – which it said had killed “one terrorist.” However local sources, some pro al Shabaab, said the victim was in fact Mohamud Haji Sirad, a director of the Hormud telecoms company for Middle Juba. According to the Somali Guardian Mr Sirad
AFRICOM declared conducting an airstrike on September 18th 2022 against Al-Shabaab terrorists who were reportedly attacking the Somalia National Army forces near Buulobarde, Somalia. The US confirmed responsibility for killing 27 militants in this strike, according to the US, with the Somalia National Army saying that over 100 militants were killed in the whole operation
More than 40 al-Shabaab militants were killed during operations carried out by Somalia government forces and international partners near Nungare/ Barire town in Lower Shabelle on May 2, 2023. The National Intelligence & Security Agency (NISA) @HSNQ_NISA tweeted that more than 40 al-Shabaab militants, including leaders and foreigners, were killed during an army operation in
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
Six civilians were allegedly injured after a US airstrike near Kunya Barrow. Somali Memo, a news outlet close to Al Shabaab, said: “Last night, Drone planes bombed a civilian residence in the town of Kunya Barrow. Sources say several missiles hit the home and injure four civilians, including a mother and three children. The injured
US declared airstrikes near Cadale, Middle Shabelle, Somalia on December 14, 2022 allegedly killed seven al-Shabaab militants, with no civilians killed or injured. Statements from the Somali government put casualty counts at 88 al-Shabaab militants killed in Middle Shabelle. AFRICOM released a statement on December 18th that “At the request of the Federal Government of
A tweet from @ArlaadiMnetwork quoted Buurhakaba town commissioner Ibrahim Mohamed Leysamow that “11 #AlShabab fighters were killed in a fresh airstrike conducted by international friends besides the city.’ No other information was available regarding the strike and who was responsible. While no sources directly implicated the US in the operation, the Somali government’s reference to
A reported airstrike or bomb blast by an unknown party on an al Shabaab radio station in Buale or Jilib town killed up to 25 al Shabaab supporters – five of them journalists. US Africa Command later denied responsibility. According to Sonna Somalia, “At least 10 people have been killed and more than 30 others
In its latest actions in support of Somali ground forces, AFRICOM confirmed that it had conducted airstrikes on al Shabaab positions “in the vicinity of Qeycad” on August 1st. Statements published by both the Somali Ministry of Information and Galmudug State referred to two separate strikes, which Airwars is therefore treating as separate events. Galmudug
Between five and 70 alleged al-Shabaab militants were killed by declared US airstrikes and/or Somali government ground actions near Bacadweyne in the Mudug of central Galmudug state on February 15, 2023. AFRICOM released a statement on February 16th that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia and in support of Somali National Army
The militant organization Al-Shabaab claimed that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had conducted an airstrike against the terrorist network on 22nd of September, 2023. The group alleged that the airstrike, carried out in the Wajid district of Bakool in southwestern Somalia, had reportedly killed eight civilians, including six children. However, the Somalia government declared their responsibility
US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab at approximately 8pm local Somalia time killing “several” fighters, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said. It was also alleged by local officials that three civilians had died. The strike hit the Lower Shabelle region. A Somali military official told Voice of America the strike, which they said
Two airstrikes were declared the same day by US Africa Command, in partnership with the Somali government, which were said to have targeted al Shabaab in the vicinity of Kunya Barrow. According to two pro Shabaab sources, at least one of the strikes targeted Kunya Barrow itself – alleging that a 70 year old woman
One high ranking al-Shabaab leader was killed by declared US and Somali airstrikes near Haramka in Middle Juba on October 1, 2022. Local sources also reported that another man named Ibrahim Hassan Dahir was also killed but are conflicted as to his status as a militant or civilian. According to AFP, a top al-Shabaab leader
44 al-Shabaab militants were killed during operations carried out by Somalia government forces and international partners in the Ali Fuuto area in Lower Shabelle on May 13, 2023. Voice of America quoted Somalia’s deputy information minister, Abdirahman Al-Adala, who said that the intelligence unit, with the support of international partners, killed 44 al-Shabab militants in the
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
According to local reports a US airstrike, carried out as part of a land and air operation, was conducted in the Gambole area killing up to eight alleged Al-Shabaab fighters on March 8th. Two civilians were also reportedly killed in the strike and four more injured, Voice of America said. According to Mareeg: “U.S. forces
Between one and two civilians were allegedly killed in a US and Somali forces raid or airstrike on Beerta Xassan Huutaan near Afgoye. The pro Al Shabaab outlet Halgan Media said: “Sources reveal US and Somali special forces raided a rural farming village outside the town of Afgoye in the Lower Shabelle province of Somalia.
US declared airstrikes near Cadale, Middle Shabelle, Somalia on December 17, 2022 allegedly killed eight al-Shabaab militants, with no civilians killed or injured. AFRICOM released a statement on December 18th that “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two collective self-defense strikes, one each on Dec. 14 and 17,
Mepa News reported that US airstrikes on the Bisig Adde settlement of Buurhakabe district on July 24, 2023 bombarded civilian areas, resulting in the death of 5 civilians, including children, and the injury of 10 civilians. Images posted by the source show multiple injured civilians being treated. No other sources reported on this incident.
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
The brief recapture by al Shabaab of the strategic town of Amara on the morning of August 24th was reversed by Somali ground forces, assisted by a US airstrike. Up to 90 militants and five government soldiers were killed in the strike, according to the Somali government and state media. Amara had been held by
More than 272 al-Shabaab militants were reportedly killed and others were injured by Somali forces and “international partner” airstrikes or ground operations in Iji and Afad villages near Jalalaqsi district on February 15-16, 2023. Hiraan Online News reported that “unidentified drones” bombed villages in the Hiraan region on as part of clashes between Somali government forces
Local and official sources alleged that 27 al-Shabaab militants were killed by operations and airstrikes declared by the Somali military in the villages of Balal-Dheer, El-Gambar, and Mililiqo on September 22, 2023. On Friday the 22nd of September, 2023, the Somali Ministry of Defense posted a statement on X / Twitter that “over 27 Khawarij
A US strike on al Shabaab fighters in the Lower Shabelle region also killed three civilians, Amnesty International later reported. Two US strikes took place in Somalia on November 12th, with one targeting al Shabaab and the other hitting Islamic State fighters, according to US Africa Command. The strikes killed “several fighters”, it said. The
Two civilians including a named woman were reported injured by a US airstrike near Kunya Barrow. Halgan Media noted: “A pro militant mouthpiece dubbed Somali Memo claimed a mother of 5 children was wounded in the drone strike, when reigned down on there home overnight. According to Somali Memo, the victim has been identified as