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
September 7, 2017
LOCATION
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaAFRICOM 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
Incident date
September 12, 2017
LOCATION
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe 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
Incident date
September 30, 2017
LOCATION
حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, SomaliaOn 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
Incident date
October 2, 2017
LOCATION
مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaOn 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
Incident date
October 16, 2017
LOCATION
Farah Waeys, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA 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
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
November 3, 2017
LOCATION
Buqa, Bari, SomaliaOn November 3rd 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted two separate airstrikes against ISIS, in northeastern Somalia on Nov. 3”. It made no mention of civilian harm. However, AFRICOM stated that the strikes had killed “several terrorists”, though it was “currently assessing the results of the strikes”. The command added: “The first strike occurred at approximately
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
November 10, 2017
LOCATION
2km north of Baasra, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaUS 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
Summary
Incident date
November 11, 2017
LOCATION
Osman Gaduud, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaUS forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab at approximately 1630 local time on November 11, US Africa Command said. It made no mention of civilian harm. However, AFRICOM stated that the strike killed a single fighter, and that it took place near Gaduud, located 250 miles southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. This and
Summary
Incident date
November 12, 2017
LOCATION
Southeast of Darusalaam, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA 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
Summary
Incident date
November 12, 2017
LOCATION
Golis Mountains, Noogal, SomaliaTwo US strikes took place in Somalia on November 12th, with one targeting al Shabaab and the other hitting Islamic State, according to US Africa Command. The strikes killed “several” fighters, it said. The first strike against al Shabaab is recorded in a separate event. The second attack was carried out at approximately 0900 local
Summary
Incident date
November 13, 2017
LOCATION
Awhiigle, Gaduud, Lower Juba, SomaliaThe sixth declared US strike in five days hit Somalia, targeting al Shabaab fighters, the US military told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. An Africa Command spokesperson said the attack occurred at 0840 near Gaduud about 250 miles southwest of Mogadishu. As of November 15th, the US was still “assessing the results of the strike”.
Summary
Incident date
November 14, 2017
LOCATION
Idow Jalaad, near Leego, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA US strike killed “several” al Shabaab fighters in the seventh aerial attack in Somalia in six days. Lower Shabelle’s deputy governor told Voice of America the strike had killed six al Shabaab fighters in the village of Idow Jalad. A statement from US Africa Command said the strike was carried out “in coordination with
Summary
Incident date
November 21, 2017
LOCATION
Bur Elade, Bay, SomaliaAFRICOM reported on the same day that it had “conducted an airstrike in Somalia against an al-Shabaab camp on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at approximately 10:30 a.m. local Somalia time”. It added that “the operation occurred 125 miles northwest of the capital, Mogadishu” though AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm. However, it claimed that the
Summary
Incident date
November 27, 2017
LOCATION
Hills around Dasaan, Bari, SomaliaOn the same day, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against ISIS, in northeastern Somalia on Nov. 27”. It added that “the strike occurred at approximately 3 p.m. local Somalia time” and made no mention of civilian harm. However, it did claim that the strike had “killed one terrorist”. Reuters placed the attack near Qandala:
Summary
Incident date
November 29, 2017
LOCATION
Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaA US airstrike targeted an al Shabaab training camp in Tortoorow, Lower Shabelle according to local media. While not declared by AFRICOM at the time, the US later admitted the event in a May 2019 FOIA response. According to Garowe Online, “The attack took place in Toratorow, a main al Shabaab stronghold town in the
Summary
Incident date
December 6, 2017
LOCATION
130 km southwest of Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaBetween five and seven civilians, including two children, were killed when a vehicle carrying suspected al Shabaab fighters exploded in their village, after being hit by what is thought to have been a US airstrike – though US Africa Command deny any strikes in the area on this date. The explosion reportedly injured a further
Summary
Incident date
December 11, 2017
LOCATION
مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaUS Forces carried out a strike against an “al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device” in the early hours of December 12th, US Africa Command announced, which it said had removed an “imminent threat to the people of Mogadishu”. The early morning strike hit 65 kilometers southwest of the capital, AFRICOM said (later noting that the strike
Summary
Incident date
December 15, 2017
LOCATION
30 miles northwest of Kismayo, IVO Qudus, Lower Juba, SomaliaOn December 18th 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours on Friday, Dec. 15, approximately 30 miles northwest of Kismayo”. It added that “we assess no civilians were killed in the strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the strike had killed “eight (8) terrorists” and destroyed “one
Summary
Incident date
December 24, 2017
LOCATION
Ball Raho, between Buusaar and Burahache, Gedo, SomaliaOn December 27th 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on the morning of Dec. 24, 2017, in southern Somalia”. AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm. However, it claimed that the strike had killed “13 terrorists”. The strike hit southern Somalia according to officials, though no additional location details were provided
Summary
Incident date
December 27, 2017
LOCATION
مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaOn December 28th 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours of Dec. 27, 2017, approximately 25 kilometres west of the capital”. It added that “we assess no civilians were killed in this strike”. However, AFRICOM claimed that the strike had “killed four terrorists”, adding that
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
January 18, 2018
LOCATION
Beer Xaani, Lower Juba, SomaliaAFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Jan. 18, approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Kismayo”. It added: “No civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “four (4) terrorists.” In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM
Summary
Incident date
January 18, 2018
LOCATION
Jameeco Jilyaale near Beled ul Amin, Lower Shabelle, SomaliaThe US confirmed it had accompanied Somali troops in a mission that rescued 30 to 32 boys from an al Shabaab indoctrination centre in the Lower Shabelle region. However, during the rescue attempt, fire reportedly from Somali forces reportedly killed four or five children, and a teacher. A later US government FOIA response indicated that
Summary
Incident date
February 6, 2018
LOCATION
حرمك, Vicinity of Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, SomaliaThe US carried had so far carried out ten strikes since the start of the year, a US Africa Command spokesperson confirmed to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) at the start of April, which had recorded only six publicly reported strikes. The spokesperson provided details on the strikes BIJ had not recorded: “The first
Summary
Incident date
February 19, 2018
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaAFRICOM reported that two days previously it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Feb. 19, in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the attack had killed “three (3) terrorists.” Voice of America said that “Local residents in the region reported
Summary
Incident date
February 21, 2018
LOCATION
Bangeeni, Lower Juba, SomaliaUp to five people, including two reported civilians, were killed in a US military airstrike that hit in the vicinity of Jamaame, in Somalia’s Lower Juba region, international media reported. According to a US Africa Command press release, a US strike on al Shabaab killed four members of the group. VOA reporter Khadar Hared tweeted that
Summary
Incident date
February 26, 2018
LOCATION
جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, SomaliaAFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants on Feb. 26, in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed two terrorists and wounded two more. Shabelle Media Network had reported a strike carried out