Several days after the events, US Africa Command press released that it had conducted five airstrikes in the vicinity of Janaale during March 16th-17th. Somali state media and government reported the same strikes but said they took place on March 15th-16th.

AFRICOM said the actions were in support of ground operations by Somalia forces, while noting that “U.S. forces were in the area when these airstrikes occurred in order to advise and assist Somali and partner forces.”

Unusually, the US gave no enemy casualty figures for the strikes – while noting that “These precision airstrikes targeted members of the al-Qaida-aligned terrorist network as they massed and maneuvered in the vicinity of an ongoing Somali-led ground operation.”

Sonna state media – citing the Ministry of Information – gave slightly different information. It said the attacks had taken place on March 15th-16th – a day earlier. It also stated that “the strikes left several al-Shabaab members killed and significantly reduced the group’s ability to conduct operations against SNA and AMISOM forces in Janale effectively.”

Airwars has set the minimum casualty range at two for this and each of the other four events during the battle for Janaale – and will update as more accurate information becomes available.

The strikes came during a major ground operation by the SNA and AMISOM, supported by US troops, to capture Janaale from the terror group al Shabaab. Early reports made no mention of the US role, focusing instead on the actions of Somali and Ugandan troops.

Halgan Media gave the following description of the battle: “Six unmarked helicopters were spotted hovering over the town of Janaale shortly before the assault began. A joint contingent of Somali, US and AMISOM forces stationed nearby later began the ground assault.

“The joint contingent were traveling in 47 [vehicles] while in route to the Al Shabaab controlled town of Janaale according to sources. Upon reaching the periphery of the town, the Somali and allied Foreign forces came under heavy fire from Al Shabaab militants, sparking fierce clashes. The coalition forces where able to withstand the hail of Al Shabaab bullets and penetrate the Militants line of defense. The Somali, US, and AMISOM forces entered the town of Janaale shortly after the clashes.

“Upon entering the town a military convoy carrying the coalition forces struck a roadside bomb.  Per sources the vehicle was severely damaged and engulfed in flames. The casualties from that blast still remain unknown. The armed group Al Shabaab withdrew from the town shortly after the encounter, as the strategic town of Janaale fell to coalition forces. The expulsion of Al Shabaab from Janaale comes five years after Militants previously overran the town after killing dozens of Ugandan troops.”

AFRICOM later said it had killed 15 Al Shabaab militants in the strikes. The number is reflected across the five incidents for the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

AFRICOM 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 attack had killed “more than 100 militants”. CNN said the attack was conducted by a manned aircraft, while Garowe said the attack was on “a mountainous settlement called Leb-Adde” and that ten munitions were used.

The Somali government said it had requested the strike. “Those militants were preparing explosives and attacks. Operations against al Shabaab have been stepped up,” Somali Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman told Reuters. “We have asked the US to help us from the air to make our readied ground offensive more successful.”

Somalia’s state news agency SONNA also reported the deaths of 100 fighters following an attack on al Shabaab bases by US planes and Somali commandos. It placed ththe event in the Bur Elay area of Bay region. Military officials also told VOA that the strike hit Somalia’s Bay region. “‘It’s obvious from what we were seeing that these were militants,’ AFRICOM spokesman Lieutenant Commander Anthony Falvo told VOA.”

An Al Shabaab spokesperson denied the attack to Reuters, claiming it was “just propaganda.”.

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 camp on this date, in the vicinity of Bur Elade, Somalia.

The incident occured at approximately 10:30 am local time.