US Forces in Somalia

US Forces in Somalia

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

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Incident Code

USSOM063

Incident date

September 5, 2016

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 in total.

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 Online offered a more detailed report based on its local sources: ” A Somali commando unit backed by US special forces have launched anti terror raid on Al Shabaab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region on Sunday night, killing senior militant commanders, Garowe Online reports. A local resident revealed to GO, that the allied forces have encountered a heavy resistance, which led to hours-long gunfight around the rebel-held Toratorow town, 120 km west of Somali capital, Mogadishu.

“Witnesses told GO that U.S. military used helicopters in the raid and dropped Somalia’s newly US-trained Danab soldiers on the outskirts of the town to hunt for the militants on foot. Sources confirmed the death of three high-ranking Al Shabaab commanders in the airstrike targeted on suspected hideouts of Al Shabaab leaders’ hideouts.”

Voice of America also reported on the incident – though referred only to the AFRICOM statement, noting that “‘During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area,’ said Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman.”

Al Shabaab itself denied any casualties in the attack, according to VOA reporter Harun Maruf.

Airwars is treating these as separate events for this date. We have assigned one death to this incident only, to avoid double counting.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tortoroow, for which the generic coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

"On September 5, 2016, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted two (2) self-defense strikes against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, near Tortoroow, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area. In response, the U.S. conducted two (2) self-defense strikes to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) al-Shabaab militants."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM112

Incident date

December 27, 2017

Location

مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

1.9172773, 44.7731843 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On 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 it had also destroyed “one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu”.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again confirmed it had struck what it says were al Shabaab fighters, in the vicinity of Mubaraak.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the area 25 kilometers west of Mogadishu. A later FOIA response pointed to the village of Mubaraak (مبارك), for which the coordinates are: 1.9172773, 44.7731843. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours of Dec. 27, 2017, approximately 25 kilometers west of the capital, killing four (4) terrorists and destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu.

We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.

U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups. This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.

Together with other international partners, the United States is committed to providing Somalia, AMISOM and SNSF with support in the fight against violent extremist organizations.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM047

Incident date

March 31, 2016

Location

Between Jilib and Kamsuuma, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.379484, 42.804503 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A US drone strike targeted a vehicle carrying three al Shabaab figures in southern Somalia. The attack hit in the early evening and killed a senior al Shabaab leader, Hassan Ali Dhoore, according to the Pentagon. There were additional reports that two other militants were killed alongside Hassan Ali Dhoore. There are currently no reports of civilian harm from this strike.

The Pentagon said the strike had targeted Hassan Ali Dhoore, “a senior leader of al Shabaab, who is part of al Qaeda”. The strike was conducted “in cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia,” a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement.

Dhoore was also reportedly responsible for killing US citizens in two attacks in Mogadishu, and plotting unspecified future attacks on the city.

The US did not officially confirm Dhoore was dead until April 4th when spokesperson Peter Cook briefed reporters. In the intervening time, the Pentagon maintained it was “still assessing the results of this operation”.

During the few days before Dhoore’s death was confirmed, unnamed defence officials told some US journalists that the drone strike had most likely killed Dhoore along with two other al Shabaab fighters in the early evening. The officials said the US military had been “watching him off and on for a long time” and the Somali government shared information that led to the attack.

The precise circumstances of the strike were confused by the deputy commander of Somalia’s army, General Abi Bashe, who told Voice of America that Somali commandos operating in al Shabaab territory had located and identified Dhoore. Bashe said Dhoore had been killed in a village called Toratorow, in a gun battle between Somali forces, their US advisers, and al Shabaab. He said it was not clear whether Dhoore was killed by gun fire or the drone strike.

A Pentagon spokesperson denied any gun battle occurred, saying the US had specifically targeted Dhoore near Jillib.

According to the New York Times, “One United States official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe initial assessments of the attack, said the military believed that Mr. Dhoore and two others had been killed in the strike, which occurred near Jilib, south of Mogadishu.”

VOA reported that “at least two other Somali militants were killed along with Dhore”.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM  confirmed it had struck what it says was an “al-Shabaab named objective”, 30 km south of Jilib, Somalia.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention that the strike targeted a vehicle between the towns Jilib and Kamsuuma, in the area 30 kilometers south of the town Jilib. The coordinates for the middle point of the road between these two towns are: 0.379484, 42.804503. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • The road between Jilib and Kamsuuma

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

On April 1st 2016, the Pentagon stated:

In cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia, on Thursday, March 31, the U.S. military conducted an airstrike in Somalia against Hassan Ali Dhoore, a senior leader of al-Shabaab, who is part of al-Qa'ida. While we are still assessing the results of this operation, removing Dhoore from the battlefield would be a significant blow to al-Shabaab's operational planning and ability to conduct attacks against the government of the Federal Republic of Somalia, its citizens, U.S. partners in the region, and against Americans abroad.

In addition to being part of al-Qa'ida, Hassan Ali Dhoore was a member of al-Shabaab's Amniyat (security and intelligence) wing and was heavily involved in high profile attack planning in Mogadishu. He had planned and overseen attacks resulting in the death of at least three U.S. citizens.

Dhoore played a direct role in the December 25, 2014 attack on Mogadishu International Airport, resulting in the death of several African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) personnel and one U.S. citizen. Dhoore was also directly responsible for the March 27, 2015 attack on the Maka al-Mukarram Hotel in Mogadishu, resulting in the deaths of 15 people, including one Somali-American national. Hassan was believed to have been plotting attacks targeting U.S. citizens in Mogadishu.

We will provide additional information as and when appropriate.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–3

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM089

Incident date

August 31–September 1, 2017

Location

حرمك, Kunya Barrow near Barawe, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.7928186, 43.3841839 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 declined to give further details. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.”

Officials told Voice of America that the fighter killed was a key al Shabaab commander. He was named by Aden Omar, the district commissioner of Barawe town, as Abu Xudeyfi – while local sources gave his name as Sheikh Abdirahman Xudeyfi. There were no reports of civilian harm.

“I can confirm that the airstrike happened on Friday [September 1]. It was carried out by a suspected US drone. The strike targeted al-Shabaab officials. Our intelligence sources confirm that a top al-Shabaab commander in charge of recruiting fighters for the militants was killed in the strike,” Omar told VOA.

“The killed official was named Abu-Xudeyfi, probably his al-Shabaab name; we are currently assessing if any other al-Shabaab official was hit in the attack, and will provide additional information as appropriate,” he added.

Local sources told VOA the strike hit a vehicle in which al-Shabaab officials were traveling in near Kunya Barrow village in the Lower Shabelle region. In a followup report, VOA said that “a U.S. strike killed Abdirahman Hudeyfi, former al-Shabab governor of the Jubba regions, while he was en route to a market to buy a sheep to slaughter for Eid al-Adha celebrations, according to Somali officials.” It also placed the date of the strike on September 1st.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again confirmed it had struck what it says were al Shabaab fighters on this date, in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Kunya Barrow, for which the coordinates are: 0.7928186, 43.3841839. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

Daily Mail/AP, September 1st, 2017:

"MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - The U.S. military says it has conducted an airstrike in Somalia that killed an al-Shabab extremist and wounded another.
The statement Friday by the U.S. Africa Command says the strike was carried out Thursday near Barawe in southern Somalia."

Summary

  • 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 attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1
  • Belligerents reported injured
    1

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM065

Incident date

September 26, 2016

Location

Caba, Lower Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

-0.232554, 41.950809 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 fire, but could not stop the attack. The US said that they conducted the strike in response:

“On September 26, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Caba, near Kismayo, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked, threatening the safety and security of the Somali force and their U.S. advisors. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense, killing several militants.  However, enemy fighters continued to attack the Somali force. In response, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) enemy fighters.”

Garowe Online placed the attack “about 45km west of Kismayo” in Kanjaron district, and said five al Shabaab fighers were killed and several commanders captured.

The Long War Journal questioned whether the strike was in fact defensive, noting that “AFRICOM’s latest so-called self-defense strike against Shabaab highlights the difference between the rhetoric and the reality of the Obama administration and the US military’s deployment of forces against jihadist groups overseas. The administration and the military often insist that US forces are deployed in countries such as Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen in a purely “advise and assist” role and are not engaging in combat operations. And yet, in the case of the Somali raid that targeted Shabaab training camps, US forces clearly are operating in a combat environment — if you raid an al Qaeda camp, you should expect to be engaged in direct fighting. In this instance, clearly AFRICOM was prepared for forces to engage in battle, as US air assets were on station.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Caba, near Kismayo, for which the coordinates are: -0.232554, 41.950809. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

"On September 26, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Caba, near Kismayo, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked, threatening the safety and security of the Somali force and their U.S. advisors. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense, killing several militants. However, enemy fighters continued to attack the Somali force. In response, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) enemy fighters."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM037

Incident date

March 10, 2015

Location

Tortoroow (and Ambereso), Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single news source reported that “unidentified armed drones” targeted two alleged al Shabaab camps.

Witnesses said the attacks hit camps in the towns of Torato and Ambereso.

The regional governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur confirmed the strikes but said the death toll had not been confirmed, although the terror group had sustained “human and material losses.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Two alleged Al-Shabaab camps in the towns of Torato and Amereso in Somalia were struck by US drone strikes on March 10, 2015 (via World Bulletin)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Torato/Tortoroow, for which the generic coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. It also mentions the village of Ambereso, for which the location is unknown. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM077

Incident date

July 13, 2017

Location

حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.7928186, 43.3841839 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

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 inserted the troops into the village where they engaged a small number of reported al Shabaab fighters, a senior Somali intelligence official told Associated Press. The official said a detention centre was targeted in the raid, although the US said “this information is incorrect”.

“The special forces of Danab and US troops landed in Kuunyo Barow and destroyed an al Shabaab base in the area,” the district commissioner told Dalsan Radio.

The US also carried out an air strike in this area on July 2nd, killing one al Shabaab fighter, AFRICOM confirmed in a July 20th email.

The only connection between that operation and the July 12th raid was that “both targeted al-Shabaab terrorists,” AFRICOM told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ). “US forces, in cooperation with the Government of Somalia, are conducting ongoing operations against al Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the al-Qaeda affiliate’s ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks.”

AFRICOM said US troops were involved in the July 12th operation but that no air strike took place. A spokesperson told BIJ, by email, that “US forces conducted an advise and assist mission against al Shabaab with members of the Somali National Army July 12 [July 13 local time] in Kunyo Barrow, Somalia.”

“Advise and assist” missions involve US special forces soldiers accompanying local troops on operations though Africom maintains the American personnel do not actually engage in combat.

“US forces are assisting partner forces to counter al Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the al Qaeda affiliate’s ability to recruit, train and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in America,” the spokesperson added.

The incident occured around dawn.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the operation raided two locations (including an Al Shabaab detention centre) in the village Kunya Barrow (حرمك), for which the coordinates are: 0.7928186, 43.3841839. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US Forces

Via email from Africom to BIJ, July 14th, 2017:

"No strike took place. U.S. forces conducted an advise and assist mission against al-Shabaab with members of the Somali National Army July 12 (if EDT) in Kunyo Barrow, Somalia."

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Somali Military Forces
  • Somali Military Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM113

Incident date

January 2, 2018

Location

Bariire, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.04707, 44.89832 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

AFRICOM 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 explosive device”. Somalia Live claimed the strike had also targeted an al Shabaab commander.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM  confirmed it had struck what it says were “al-Shabaab Fighters and VBIED”, in the vicinity of Bariire, Somalia.

This was the second strike in a week in which US Africa Command said it had hit a VBIED.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the area 50 kilometers west of Mogadishu, near the village of Bariire, for which the coordinates are: 2.04707, 44.89832. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Civilian casualty statements

US Forces
  • Jan 3, 2018

  • "We assess no civilians were killed in this strike."

Original strike reports

US Forces
Official source

U.S. Conducts Airstrike in Support of the Federal Government of Somalia

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early morning hours of Jan. 2, 2018, approximately 50 kilometers west of the capital, killing two terrorists and destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu.

We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.

U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups. This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.

Together with other international partners, the United States is committed to providing Somalia, AMISOM and SNSF with support in the fight against violent extremist organizations.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2

Sources (6) [ collapse]