Mabkhout Ali al Ameri with his 18-month old son Mohammed, shortly after a botched US raid on al Ghayil in January 2017 had killed at least 20 villagers, including Mohammed's mother Fatim Saleh Mohsen. © Iona Craig
A US drone strike reportedly killed AQAP leaders Qasim Al-Raymi and Abu Al-Baraa Al-Ibbi as they travelled in a car through Yakla, Bayda governorate, on January 29th 2020. This was one of three alleged January strikes in which Qasim al-Raymi was reportedly killed – with his death in one of those actions later confirmed by
A US drone strike reportedly targeted an alleged AQAP site in Al Hazma village, in the Wadi Obeida area of Marib governorate, at dawn on January 27th 2020. Multiple sources suggested that at least one alleged AQAP militant had died in the strike, and one source, Mint Press News, reported that civilians near the house
A US drone strike reportedly targeted a car transporting six alleged AQAP militants near Bin Ma’ali Station, in Marib governorate, on the morning of January 27th 2020. The strike came alongside a second reported US action (USYEMTr219-C) on January 27th in Al Hazmia, also in Marib. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.
US Africa Command declared on the same day that it had conducted an airstrike on al Shabaab in the vicinity of Jilib, which it said had killed one militant. It was later claimed that a 20-year old farmer named Mohamed Moalim was killed in the strike, with the location given as Hoombooy – although in
During 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
A US drone strike reportedly targeted a house in Joe Al Naseem, in the Wadi Obeida area of Marib governorate, at 11am on January 25th 2020, killing at least one alleged AQAP leadership figure. Some sources later indicated that AQAP leader Qasim al-Raymi died in the strike, one of three alleged January US actions in
Local reports claimed that US airstrikes had targeted al Shabaab bases near Sakow in Middle Juba, in support of ground operations by Somali forces. AFRICOM itself did not publicly report any strikes on this date. Goobjoog News reported what it said were US strikes in support of Somali ground operations “around Sakow district, the airstrike
Local reports claimed that US airstrikes had targeted al Shabaab bases near Hargessa Yarey village in Middle Juba, in support of ground operations by Somali forces. AFRICOM itself did not publicly report any strikes on this date. According to Goobjoog News, “Airstrike operations targeting Al-Shabab militant launch by U.S Africom with Somalia forces in Middle
US drone strikes targeted what was described as the government ‘Central Security’ headquarters in Marib governorate, killing “terrorist” individuals, on the evening of January 20th 2020, according to a number of local language social media sources. Other sources also reported that a military base, the “third military zone”, was targeted, with some assigning responsibility for
A US airstrike was called in to support a Somali forces unit under attack from al Shabaab, AFRICOM reported the next day. According to the official press release, “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab terrorists who engaged Somali National Army Danab Unit near Bangeeni, Somalia,
Somali officials reported the death of a senior al Shabaab commander during a gun battle at Wanlaweyn. It was not clear whether US forces had also participated in the raid. According to the Horn Observer, “The special forces known as DANAB raided the house of Mohamed Osman Hussein Buluush, a mlitant bomb expert in the
United States Africa Command declared its second airstrike of 2020, stating in a press release issued on the same day that it had killed two al Shabaab terrorists “in the vicinity of Qunyo Barrow.” SONNA, the official Somali agency, gave slightly more information on the action, stating that said the attack had taken place on
A Somali special forces military action backed by “international partners” killed 35 al Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Lafta Anole neighborhood in Lower Juba, according to local and international media reports. Xinhua carried the most detailed report: “Hassan Mohamad Aden, commander of the Danab Forces in Jubbaland State, said a joint operation was conducted
Possibly one civilian was killed and an unknown number of civilians injured in a confirmed U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian national Qassam Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, on Baghdad International Airport at January 3rd, 2020. The New York Times reported that an “American MQ-9 Reaper drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving
In 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
A US drone strike reportedly targeted Abdul Reza Shahlai, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Qods Force commander in Sana’a, overnight from January 2nd-3rd 2020. While initial reports suggested that Shahlai had been killed in the strike, official sources later indicated that he had survived. There was some indication that another Iranian soldier was killed, however.
In retaliatory strikes against al Al Shabaab for a mass casualty bombing in Mogadishu a day earlier, the United States said that it had conducted three strikes against al Shbaab commanders, killing four people in total. This entry relates to one of two strikes in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow in Lower Shabelle. According to
In retaliatory actions against al Al Shabaab for a mass casualty bombing in Mogadishu a day earlier, the United States said that it had conducted three strikes against al Shbaab commanders, killing four people in total.This entry relates to one of two strikes in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow in Lower Shabelle. Al Shabaab itself
In apparent retaliatory strikes against al Al Shabaab for a mass casualty bombing in Mogadishu a day earlier, the United States said that it had conducted three strikes against al Shbaab commanders, killing four people in total. This entry relates to one strike in the vicinity of Caliyoow Barrow in Lower Shabelle. it later emerged
Publicly declaring its 60th strike of the year, AFRICOM said that it had targeted and killed an alleged al Shabaab terrorist According to a press release issued on the same date, “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab terrorist in the vicinity of Dujuuma, Somalia,
The US military reported on the same day that it had carried out an airstrike against al Shabaab in the vicinity of Saakow that killed one terrorist. “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia, on Dec. 9,” AFRICOM reported.
A few local-language Twitter sources suggested, on December 7th 2019, that US drone strikes had targeted “Muslim Brotherhood” militias, also described as “terrorists”, in the mountains of Al Arqoub in Abyan governorate. No other known sources reported US strikes, and there was no known information on alleged casualties. The first known report of the strikes,
The US military reported on the same day that it had carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Jilib against al Shabaab fighters. It was not clear which of two locally reported targets – or indeed both – were struck. Unusually, AFRICOM made no mention of the number of militant fighters it believed had
The US military reported on the same day that it had carried out an airstrike near Qunyo Barrow that killed one “terrorist.” However al Shabaab insisted the victim was a local civilian businessman named Ismail Issa Bhutan. AFRICOM later insisted the target “was both an al-Shabaab leader and weapons supplier.” According to a press release
In a press release issued on the same day, US Africa Command reported that it had targeted and killed a senior al Shabaab figure in the vicinity of Jilib, in Middle Juba. “At this time, it is assessed the airstrike killed one (1) terrorist. Strikes near Jilib disrupt al-Shabaab’s freedom of maneuver. The individual targeted
A senior al Shabaab communications official was reported killed, either in an air or ground operation. The official was named by all sources as Ibrahim Abu Hamza, reportedly a head of communications for the terror group. However there was conflicted reporting about both how he died – and at whose hands. According to Mareeg News,
Local media reported targeted strikes by an undeclared belligerent on the town of Bu’ale, which were said to have killed and injured senior named al Shabaab figures. According to Goobjoog News, “Reports indicate on the airstrike raid in Bay and Middle Juba region last night targeted Al Shabab base located in the area bulla falay
A US drone strike reportedly killed at least two alleged AQAP militants, including a leadership figure, in Raidan village, in the Al Kanaes area of Marib governorate, on November 1st 2019. One source, @AlkaramaHR, instead appeared to suggest that those killed were civilians, unaffiliated with AQAP. On January 2nd 2020, US Central Command told New
Up to nine civilians including two women and three children were reported killed in the US military operation that successfully targeted ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi in Barisha village in Idlib countryside, Syria, on October 26th, 2019. Al-Baghdadi was an ISIS leader who declared himself a Caliphate in Mosul, Iraq in 2014, and according
A US drone strike intended to target an Islamic State hideout near the remote Ameyra and Timirshe villages in the Golis Mountain region, killed two civilians and injured another, according to multiple local and international media sources. However in April 2020, AFRICOM insisted the targets “were ISIS-Somalia leadership and media operatives.”” At the time of