Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USSOM109

Incident date

December 11–12, 2017

Location

مبارك, Mubaraak, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

1.9172773, 44.7731843 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

US Forces carried out a strike against an “al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device” in the early hours of December 12th, US Africa Command announced, which it said had removed an “imminent threat to the people of Mogadishu”.

The early morning strike hit 65 kilometers southwest of the capital, AFRICOM said (later noting that the strike was also 35 miles from the village of Illimey.) Ali Enure, the deputy governor of Lower Shabelle region, placed this event in the village of Mubarak in the Lower Shabelle region.

“The vehicle was loaded with explosives intended to harm civilians,” Enure told VOA. “Our intelligence sources in the area and local residents who saw the vehicle reported to us that the vehicle was destroyed, as a missile from a drone hit the hood.”

Al Shabaab reportedly claimed that photos showing damage to a minibus carrying bananas had in fact been the target vehicle. The light damage shown in pictures is relatively small considering local reports – and US Africa Command’s assertion – that the target vehicle was carrying explosives.

https://twitter.com/HussienM12/status/940581644439781376

AFRICOM said they had assessed that no civilians were killed in the strike. There were no further details on casualty figures.

In a July 2019 FOIA release, AFRICOM made passing reference to this same event though placed it on December 11th, noting that “On 11 December 2017, one week after the alleged incident [on December 6th], AFRICOM did strike a VBIED approximately 35 miles from this location but no secondary explosions were observed.”

The incident occured between 12:01 am and 6:00 am local time.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike targeted an Al Shabaab VBIED (vehicle-born improvised explosive device) in the village of Mubaraak, around 65 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. The coordinates for the village of Mubaraak are: 1.9172773, 44.7731843. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Hussein Mohammed tweet

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

"In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against an al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, approximately 65 kilometers southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.

This strike supports our partner forces by removing an imminent threat to the people of Mogadishu.

We assess no civilians were killed in the strike."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known belligerent
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (7) [ collapse]