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
On the 26th of May, 2023, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of an ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) forward operating base in Bulo Marer, 75 miles southwest of Mogadishu, Somalia. To date, there have been no reports of civilian harm with regard to the airstrike, while a
A US drone strike reportedly killed at least two alleged AQAP militants in Al Huson, in the Al Wadi area of Marib governorate, on the evening of November 2nd 2017. In an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a US Central Command spokesperson confirmed that a strike had taken place in Marib, stating that
Jamal Al-Badawi, an alleged ‘legacy’ AQAP militant, was killed by a US drone strike in Marib governorate on the morning of January 1st 2019, US Central Command stated, confirming earlier reports that he had been targeted by a strike in Wadi Obeidah, Marib. One civilian was locally reported injured in the attack – and the
In a news feature looking at drone strikes in Somalia, Somalia Report stated that on this day, “another [US] attack occurred in Taabta village in the Afmadow District of Lower Juba.” The report indicated that the target was al Shabaab. “AFRICOM does have terrorism in its list of applications and as of June JSOC’s hunter killers
At least four and up to 23 al Shabaab fighters were reported killed in a US airstrike at Buufow, near Janaaale. However more than three years later, one civilian fatality was also alleged. Two US actions on April 1st and April 2nd were later said to be “self-defence air strikes against al Shabaab fighters who
On 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
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted an airstrike against Al-Shabaab militants near Jilib, Somalia, the afternoon of April 5”. It added: “We assess no civilians were killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike killed “three (3) terrorists” and destroyed “one (1) vehicle with a mounted heavy machine gun.” In a
AFRICOM reported that the previous day, it had “conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants near Lebede, Somalia on November 30, 2018”. It said that there had been no civilian harm. However, AFRICOM claimed that the airstrike had killed “nine (9) militants”. Voice of America reporter Harun Maruf provided a more detailed location. “Statement says strike
A Mareeg Media report from March 16th 2019 asserted that US-backed Somali forces had carried out an “air and ground operation” near Marka Town in Jilib Marka, 91km southwest of Mogadishu. Citing anonymous Somali military officials, Mareeg said that “at least” 22 “militants” were killed in the operation, including ‘senior al Shabaab commanders’ Abu Yasin
A suspected al Shabaab associate who once lived in the US was arrested during a mission in Somalia, a US Africa Command spokesperson told AP. It was a Somali-led mission with “limited tactical advisory support” from the US, spokesperson Jennifer Dyrcz said. The suspect, identified as Abdirizak Tahlil, was accused of “facilitating the use of improvised
A US airstrike targeted AQAP in Bayda governorate on January 25th 2018, a US Central Command spokesperson later told the Long War Journal. Our Arabic-language researchers found no local reports of a US strike on that day, and there were no known claims of civilian harm.
A reported US drone strike killed al Shabaab’s head of domestic intelligence in a night time action near Kunyo Barrow. While the action was apparently confirmed by Somali military radio, AFRICOM did not declare a strike on this date – indicating a possible CIA action. Voice of America reporter Harun Maruf first mentioned the strike
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,
Multiple sources reported that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants in al-Jasima, in the Qaifa area of Bayda governorate, overnight from March 1st to March 2nd. Mareb Press reported that the strikes killed one and wounded another, apparently with reference to alleged militants. There were no known reports of civilian casualties. The reported strikes were
US drone strikes reportedly targeted alleged AQAP militants in the Al Muhajjab district of Al Wade’a in Abyan governorate, overnight from March 30th to March 31st. However several different villages were suggested as the location or locations of the action. There are no known associated reports of civilian harm. Several sources, including Al Araby, reported
In an email to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, US Central Command stated that a strike took place against an AQAP “target” on July 1st 2017 in Abyan governorate. This confirmed earlier reports that at least one US drone strike targeted at least two alleged AQAP militants in the Wadea district of Abyan governorate, on
At least five AQAP militants were reportedly killed in the course of at least four alleged US drone strikes in Qayfa, Bayda governorate, on the evening of January 12th 2018. According to local language news sources, strikes reportedly targeted the area of Al-Jassima. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm. A source told
One local-language social media source, @wael_shaifan, suggested late on August 27th 2019 that at least one US drone strike had targeted gatherings of alleged AQAP militants in Al Houta town, Shabwa governorate. Three other social media sources further indicated that US strikes had taken place in Shabwa that evening, but did not offer specific information.
A US drone strike reportedly targeted alleged AQAP militants in the Wadi Obaida area of Marib city, in Marib governorate, on the evening of June 24th 2020, according to some sources. There were no known reports of civilian harm. One source, @ksa2030_n, claimed that a senior AQAP leader was killed in the strike. The Yemen
A US airstrike targeted Al Shabaab fighters near Saakow. The AFRICOM press release said: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted one (1) airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab compound in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia, Dec. 24. The initial assessment concluded the strike damaged the compound and several al-Shabaab fighters fled,
At least one civilian, a woman, was killed and up to seven other civilians, including five children, were injured alleged US drone strikes or Kenyan airstrikes on the town of Ceel-Cadde in the Gedo region on June 2-3, 2021. Halgan Media reported that suspected US drones or Kenyan fighter jets carried out strikes on a home
An ISIS leader and 10 of his associates were killed by a declared US counterterrorism operation in the Almiskad mountains of Bari region, Somalia on January 25, 2023. One US service member was injured during the operation when a dog bit him. AFRICOM initially released a statement that “the U.S. military conducted a successful counterterrorism operation
A single source, Press TV, reported that a US drone killed five “people” traveling in a vehicle in Aden on August 4, 2012. However, the same source referred to the strike as occurring in “eastern Yemen” while Aden is located in western Yemen. Another strike did occur in eastern Yemen on the same date (USYEM116-B),
One civilian was killed and between six and seven others, including at least one child, were injured by alleged US-UK airstrikes on a telecommunications site in the Shamir area in the Maqbanah District on February 24, 2024. Anadolu Agency quoted the Houthi Al-Masirah satellite channel which reported that “a citizen (civilian) was killed and 6
Alleged US airstrikes or Yemeni airstrikes in Jaar and Zinjibar on May 10, 2012 reportedly killed up to 24 alleged militants and nine others were injured, with some sources reporting possible civilian casualties. Although initially reported as the work of the Yemen Air Force, a senior Yemen government official told CNN that the attacks were
Two suspected Al Qaeda militants were killed and three were injured in an alleged US drone strike which hit a vehicle in Manaseh in al-Bayda province on December 24th, 2012 at 5pm. No civilian harm has been reported. According to Reuters, AFP, and AP, two Al Qaeda militants were killed when a drone strike hit
Two 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
US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab in an area around 50 kilometres north of Kismayo, a US Africa Command spokesperson later told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Post-strike analysis had not revealed the number of militants killed, a US spokesperson told the Bureau in an email exchange on July 31st. The event
AFRICOM reported that the previous day it had “conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab militants near Jilib, Middle Juba Region, Somalia, on January 23, 2019.” It also asserted that “at this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in these airstrikes.” AFRICOM gave no figures on the number of belligerents killed. Associated Press
The US military carried out a “precision airstrike” targeting an ISIS-Somalia encampment in the Golis Mountains, according to a press release issued the following day by US Africa Command. AFRICOM said it had assessed that the strke killed four members of ISIS-Somalia and that no civilians were harmed. “At this time, it is assessed the