Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USSOM031-C

Incident date

June 1–30, 2014

Location

Farigow, 3 km west of Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

0.496059, 42.749613 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and five civilians, including women and children, were killed as the Farigow leper colony near Jilib, Middle Jubba was struck by unknown warplanes, international media reported.

A woman living near the settlement told the Kenyan group Journalists for Justice that the colony was struck by jets by “mid 2014”, killing one person and injuring another three. “Farigow is a settlement of leprosy victims near Jilib. A woman living near there said it was attacked by jets in mid-2014. Three adults were injured and one killed, she reported to JFJ.”

Journalists for Justice said the attack was the same one described by the UN in its Somalia Monitoring Group report for 2014, which stated: “On 20 May 2014, for example, a village at Faragurow, 3 kilometers west of Jilib town in Middle Jubba, was attacked by fighter jets. Some reports claimed that among the dead were ‘2 women, 2 children and an old man.'”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike targeted a settlement of leprosy victims called Farigow or Faragurow, 3 kilometers west of the town Jilib. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location of Farigow. The coordinates for the area 3 kilometers west of the town Jilib are: 0.496059, 42.749613.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1–2 children1–2 women0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (2) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Kenyan Military Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1–2 children1–2 women0–1 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (2) [ collapse]