The 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 strikes took place. However, a spokesperson told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism that AFRICOM had later changed how it classified airstrikes in October and that the three attacks carried out in this operation were now seen as constituting a single strike operation.

Military Times noted that “U.S. officials overseeing the U.S. mission in Africa would not describe the air assets involved in these strikes. ‘We have a range of capabilities at various locations in the region that will allow us to carry out these airstrikes, including manned and unmanned platforms,’ said Robyn Mack, a spokesperson for AFRICOM.”

The attack was carried out under the parameters of authorities granted by President Trump in March. This gave US commanders greater freedom to launch strikes and raids in a geographically-defined area for at least 180 days.

In a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM placed the date of this action on September 12th – and said that it had targeted al Shabaab fighters in the vicinity of Kunyo Barrow.

The incident occured at approximately 2:15 am local time.

US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab militants on April 16th near Leego, an Africa Command spokesperson told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in early May.

AFRICOM made no mention of civilian harm.

An AFRICOM spokespersons noted that “No terrorists were killed and no equipment was destroyed in this strike.”

Leego is described by Voice of America as a strategic town in the Lower Shabelle region, located 120 kilometers from Mogadishu. Al Shabaab fighters retook the town in August last year (2017).

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM  confirmed it had targeted on this date what it says were “al-Shabaab Fighters”, in the vicinity of Leego, Somalia.

No additional details are presently known for this event.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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, Jan. 19. ”

Unusually, AFRICOM noted that “This airstrike targeted al-Shabaab fighters who posed a direct, immediate, and significant threat to our partner forces.”

Abdirahman Ahmed, a Somali Ministry of Information official, also stated in a tweet that “On the afternoon of 19 January 2020, the FGS in coordination with the US Military and FMS conducted an air strike on AS militants during a clearance operation being conducted by the Elite Danab Commandos near the town of Bangeeni. Three AS operatives were killed in the strike.”

According to the Anatolia Agency several al Shabaab fighters were also wounded – though it was unclear whether this had resulted from the airstrike or ground fire.

Mareeg Media said that Bangeeni was between Koban and Jamame, in Lower Shabelle.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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.