US Forces in Somalia

Library image of an armed Reaper drone, December 2019 (US Air Force/ Senior Sergeant Haley Stevens)

Belligerent
US Forces
Country
Somalia
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Strike Status
Strike Type
Infrastructure

Incident date

September 23, 2023

Incident Code

USSOM408

LOCATION

Shabeelow village, Mudug, Somalia

More than 30 Al-Shabaab militants were killed in an airstrike declared by Somali forces on Shabeelow village, located in the Mudug region of central eastern Somalia on the 23rd of September 2023, according to the Somali Ministry of Defense. Whilst an exact number of casualties was not given, the Ministry of Defense statement reported that

Summary

First published
September 23, 2023
Last updated
February 20, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Suspected belligerents
Somali Military Forces, US Forces
Belligerents reported killed
31
View Incident

Incident date

December 17, 2023

Incident Code

USSOM410

LOCATION

near to Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

On the 17th of December, 2023, a declared U.S. airstrike reportedly killed an Al-Shabaab leader, Maalim Ayman, near Jilib in southern Somalia. On the same day as the airstrike, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) released a statement on its website, stating that the airstrike had been conducted “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia,

Summary

First published
December 17, 2023
Last updated
February 20, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al-Shabaab
Belligerents reported killed
1
View Incident

Incident date

January 21, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM414

LOCATION

35 km northeast of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia

On 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

First published
January 21, 2024
Last updated
April 19, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al-Shabaab
Belligerents reported killed
3
View Incident

Incident date

January 24, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM413

LOCATION

the town of Gal Hareri, Galguduud, Somalia

On the 25th of January, 2024, an alleged Somali or US drone or air strike was conducted against the Al-Shabaab militant group in the town of Gal Hereri, in the Galgaduud region of Central Somalia, killing at least 20 militants, according to Somali regional and military officials. One woman, Maido Yusuf Abdulle, was reported to

Summary

First published
January 24, 2024
Last updated
June 12, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1 – 10
(1 woman)
Civilians reported injured
0–10
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Suspected belligerents
Somali Military Forces, US Forces
Suspected target
Al-Shabaab
Named victims
1 named
Belligerents reported killed
20–30
View Incident

Incident date

January 24, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM415

LOCATION

Remorse area in the vicinity of Caad, Mudug, Somalia

On the 24th of January, 2024, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab in a remote area near the town of Caad in the Mudug region of eastern Somalia. AFRICOM stated that six Al-Shabaab militants were killed in the strike and assessed that no civilians were injured or killed. AFRICOM released a statement

Summary

First published
January 24, 2024
Last updated
April 23, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al-Shabaab
Belligerents reported killed
6
View Incident

Incident date

February 9, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM417

LOCATION

in the vicinity of the village of Yaq Dabel, Lower Juba, Somalia

On 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

First published
February 9, 2024
Last updated
April 23, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al-Shabaab
Belligerents reported killed
2
View Incident

Incident date

February 15, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM418

LOCATION

Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

Two Cuban doctors, general medicine specialist Assel Herrera and surgeon Landy Rodriguez, were reportedly killed in a declared U.S. airstrike (possibly drone strike) conducted around 12:05am on the 15th of February 2024 in the town of Jilib, in the region of Middle Juba, Somalia. The militant group Al-Shabaab stated via Telegram that it had captured

Summary

First published
February 15, 2024
Last updated
June 18, 2024
Strike status
Declared strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 men)
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Airwars civilian harm grading
Fair
Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
Impact
Healthcare
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Known belligerent
US Forces
Known target
Al-Shabaab
Named victims
2 named
Belligerents reported injured
1
View Incident

Incident date

February 24, 2024

Incident Code

USSOM420

LOCATION

Jilib Marka, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

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

Summary

First published
February 24, 2024
Last updated
April 23, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike, Drone Strike
Civilian harm reported
No
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Cause of injury / death
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Suspected belligerents
US Forces, Somali Military Forces
Suspected target
Al-Shabaab
Belligerents reported killed
30
View Incident