(Previous Incident Code: SOM057)

The US carried out two “kinetic” strikes against al Shabaab members in the Banadir region of southern Somalia on August 10th, US Africa Command announced. There were no known associated public reports of civilian harm. As AFRICOM itself has treated these as distinct events, we have separated them here.

A press release from the Somali government said a high-level al Shabaab leader had been killed. It said President Mohamed Farmajo had authorised a coordinated operation with ‘international partners’ near Shashweyne, on the outskirts of Banadir region, resulting in the death.

“This individual was part of an al-Shabaab terrorist network responsible for planning and executing several bombings and assassinations in Mogadishu that have killed innocent Somali citizens,” it said.

The US did not confirm any casualties, including any civilians harmed, but said it was still assessing the operation and would release additional details when appropriate. There are no other reports of civilian casualties.

AFRICOM said the strike was carried out under authorities approved by US President Donald Trump in March 2017. These declared parts of Somalia to be an “area of active hostilities” for 180 days, exempting US commanders from certain restraints.

This was the third known US strike in under two weeks. At the end of July, a strike killed Ali Jabal, a high-level al Shabaab commander believed to be behind attacks in Mogadishu and responsible for leading al-Shabaab forces operating there and in Banadiir region. Mogadishu is in Banadir region.

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again confirmed it had struck what it says was an “AS Leader”, in the vicinity of Shashweyne, Banadir region, Somalia. Separately AFRICOM said it had also struck al Shabaab fighters that day, again in the vicinity of Shashweyne.