Geolocation
Airwars assessment
A US airstrike targeted an al Shabaab training camp in Tortoorow, Lower Shabelle according to local media. While not declared by AFRICOM at the time, the US later admitted the event in a May 2019 FOIA response.
According to Garowe Online, “The attack took place in Toratorow, a main al Shabaab stronghold town in the volatile region in the afternoon, causing an uiinspecified number of casualties. Sources said senior Al Shabaab commanders were at the camp during the raid.
Voice of America later claimed that al Shabaab fighters were ‘fleeing the south’, under pressure from US strikes.
In a FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, it was confirmed that this US strike took place in the vicinity Tortoroow, Somalia against Al-Shabaab fighters.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the vicinity of the village Tortoroow, for which the coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (3) [ collapse]
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
In a FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in IVO Tortoroow, Somalia against Al-Shabaab fighters.