Incident date
February 24, 2020
LOCATION
the Masalanja farm near the village of Kumbareere, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe 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
Summary
Incident date
July 11, 2019
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaAl Shabaab members or civilians were allegedly killed in US strikes near Jilib and Basra. AFRICOM later denied conducting strikes in the area. Harun Maruf reported: “Overnight airstrikes killed dozens of Al-Shabaab militants in Jilib, Cmdr of AS’s Hisba police station in the town, Hassan Dhere, his deputy and a 3rd official among the dead,
Summary
Incident date
January 19, 2021
LOCATION
Deb Scinnele, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA US airstrike alelgedly killed Al Shabaab fighter near Deb Scinnele, according to AFRICOM. The press release said: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command forces conducted two airstrikes in the vicinities of Jamaame and Deb Scinnele, Somalia, Jan. 19. Initial assessments indicate the strikes killed three al-Shabaab operatives. The command’s
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
February 9, 2024
LOCATION
in the vicinity of the village of Yaq Dabel, Lower Juba, SomaliaOn the 9th of February, 2024, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab near the village of Yaq Dabel, located to the west of the city of Kismayo in Lower Juba, Somalia. AFRICOM released a statement on the 14th of February regarding the strike which made reference to an initial post-strike assessment that
Summary
Incident date
December 22, 2015
LOCATION
Shanta Ameriko, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA US drone strike reportedly killed Abu Ubaidah, leader of al Shabaab, as well as four other fighters. The US told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism: “We are aware of the media reports but have no information on the incident.” However two named Somali officials asserted that it was a drone attack. Ubaidah replaced Ahmed Abdi
Summary
Incident date
August 10, 2017
LOCATION
Banaadir, SomaliaThe 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
Incident date
March 12, 2018
LOCATION
Kamsuuma, Lower Juba, SomaliaAFRICOM 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)
Summary
Incident date
November 21, 2018
LOCATION
Jimo Luqunyar or Adaley, near Debatscile, Mudug, SomaliaAFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted two (2) airstrikes in the vicinity of Haradere, Somalia on November 21, 2018.” It added: “We currently assess these airstrikes did not injure or kill any civilians.” However, AFRICOM claimed that “the first airstrike killed six (6) al-Shabaab militants and the second airstrike destroyed a weapons cache.”
Summary
Incident date
March 7, 2019
LOCATION
Gamboole, Middle Shabelle, SomaliaAccording 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
Summary
Incident date
August 10, 2016
LOCATION
Saakow, Middle Juba, SomaliaUS forces helped Somali commandos in an operation in southern Somalia that killed several members of al Shabaab, a Pentagon official said on August 16th. The operation took place on August 10th. Somali forces approached an al Shabaab checkpoint. The terrorists reportedly opened fire and a gun battle ensued. “US advisers accompanied the Somali-led force,
Summary
Incident date
November 3, 2018
LOCATION
SomaliaResponding to allegations that it had conducted a November 18th airstrike on a radio station in Jilib, AFRICOM informed local media via Twitter that “it has not conducted an airstrike in Somalia since Nov. 3.” There were no publicly reported strikes on this date, and Airwars has reached out to AFRICOM for clarification. U.S. Africa
Summary
Incident date
January 3, 2020
LOCATION
Between Bacaw and Bariire, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaIn its first declared action in Somalia of 2020, AFRICOM announced on the same day that “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists who engaged Somali National Army partner forces on patrol near Bacaw.” AFRICOM added that “At this time, it is assessed this precision
Summary
Incident date
March 10, 2020
LOCATION
Near Janaale, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaBetween four and six civilians were allegedly killed by a US airstrike near Janaale. Morad News, reportedly close to Al Shabaab, tweeted: “US drone strike kills 4 civilians after bombing a minibus near Janaale town. 2 of the victims r members of a well known family in Mogadishu. An elderly man & driver are among
Summary
Incident date
August 8, 2020
LOCATION
Sablale, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA high-ranking Al Shabaab operative was allegedly killed by a possible US drone strike in Sablale. Mareeg reported: “A suspected US drone has carried out two airstrikes targeting high-ranking al Shabaab operatives in southern regions of Somalia. […] The 2nd strike also killed a high-ranking al Shabaab operative identified as Ahmed Nour near Sablale town
Summary
Incident date
April 3, 2021
LOCATION
Bariire, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaClashes between Somali government forces, Al-Shabaab forces, and unknown airstrikes resulted in the reported deaths of up to 47 government soldiers and the injury of 11 other government soldiers, as well as the claimed death of 77 Al-Shabaab fighters in Bariire on April 3, 2021. Hussein Mohamed, a journalist for the New York Times in
Summary
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
October 23, 2011
LOCATION
Kismayo, Lower Juba, SomaliaAt least one al Shabaab militant was reportedly killed as Shabaab positions in Kismayo, Jubaland, were subject to aerial shelling, international and local media reported. There was disagreement about whether the US, France or Kenya were to blame A local resident told Reuters: “A jet bombarded an al Shabaab base near the port. It dropped
Summary
Incident date
June 21, 2016
LOCATION
South-central, Bay, SomaliaThe US conducted “a self-defence strike against al Shabaab, killing three” in southern Somalia, describing the action as having “provided defensive fires to protect U.S. troops from imminent threats posed by the terrorist group al-Shabaab.” A statement from US Africa Command (Africom) issued at the time said “the operation was conducted after it was assessed
Summary
Incident date
November 9, 2017
LOCATION
Buulo Fuulay, Bay, SomaliaAFRICOM reported on the same day it had “conducted an airstrike in Somalia against al-Shabaab on Thur., Nov. 9 at approximately 3 p.m. local Somalia time”. It added that the “operation occurred in the Bay Region of Somalia, about 100 miles west of the capital, Mogadishu”. AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm. However, it stated that
Summary
Incident date
June 2, 2018
LOCATION
Galgala mountains, 26 miles southwest of Bosaso, Bari, SomaliaOn 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
Summary
Incident date
January 6, 2019
LOCATION
Vicinity of Deerow Sanle, Bay, SomaliaAFRICOM reported on the same day that it had carried out an airstrike targeting al Shabaab in the vicinity of Dheerow Sanle in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. According to AFRICOM “no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.” The strike “killed six (6) militants and destroyed one vehicle.” In a subsequent FOIA response
Summary
Incident date
April 26, 2019
LOCATION
Timirshe, Bari, SomaliaThe US military carried out an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia and possibly also al Shabaab in the vicinity of Timirshe, in the Golis Mountains. According to a press release from US Africa Command issued the following day, three fighters from the terrorist group were killed, with AFRICOM currently assessing that no civilians had been harmed in
Summary
Incident date
November 2, 2017
LOCATION
Buqa, Bari, SomaliaThe US conducted its first known strike against so-called Islamic State in Somalia. CNN reported that both strikes were carried out by armed drone. According to Associated Press, “A US official said the strikes were carried out in northeastern Somalia, with the first around midnight local time and the second later in the morning. The
Summary
Incident date
May 13, 2019
LOCATION
Buusaar, Gedo, SomaliaLocal sources alleged that a night time airstrike by an unknown party had targeted al Shabaab at Buusaar in Gedo. According to Ilwared, “Reports reaching us from Gedo region in southern Somalia say that military planes carried out airstrikes last night as residents told Radio Kulmiye. The planes were reportedly targeting Al-Shabaab bases in Buusar, Gedo
Summary
Incident date
January 26, 2020
LOCATION
Near Jamaame, Lower Juba, SomaliaDuring several days of fighting in Middle Juba, US forces conducted an airstrike on January 26th which targeted “an al-Shabaab compound in the vicinity of Jamaame,” according to US Africa Command officials. AFRICOM initially reported the event on February 3rd in a press release though offered no precise date, noting that “In coordination with the Federal
Summary
Incident date
April 3, 2020
LOCATION
Bush Madina, Bay, SomaliaFive Al Shabaab members were reportedly killed by a US strike near Bush Madina. The AFRICOM press release said: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Bush Madina, Somalia, April 3. The command’s initial assessment concluded this airstrike killed five (5)
Summary
Incident date
December 11, 2020
LOCATION
Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaTwo US airstrikes reportedly killed between eight and ten Al Shabaab fighters near Jilib. Garowe reported: “Amid plans to withdraw from Somalia, the US Africa Command conducted two airstrikes on Thursday in the Horn of Africa nation, killing at least eight Al-Shabaab commanders linked to the manufacturing of explosives besides coordinating attacks in the country.”
Summary
Incident date
October 23, 2022
LOCATION
near Buulobarde, Hiiraan, SomaliaAt least two al-Shabaab militants were killed by a declared US airstrike near Buulobarde, Somalia on October 23, 2022. AFRICOM released a statement that “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking Somali National Army forces near Buulobarde, Somalia, about 218 km north-northwest
Summary
Incident date
September 10, 2023
LOCATION
Forward Operating Base in Awdhegle district, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaScores of militants were killed by alleged US drone strikes near Forward Operation Base in #Awdhegle district on September 10, 2023. A tweet from @HornSentinel reported that US drones carried out two strikes against al-Shabaab fighter who had stormed the Somali National Army (SNA) Forward Operation Base in #Awdhegle district, resulting in the death of