Airwars assessment
On December 28th 2017, AFRICOM reported that it had “conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours of Dec. 27, 2017, approximately 25 kilometres west of the capital”.
It added that “we assess no civilians were killed in this strike”.
However, AFRICOM claimed that the strike had “killed four terrorists”, adding that it had also destroyed “one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu”.
In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again confirmed it had struck what it says were al Shabaab fighters, in the vicinity of Mubaraak.
The incident occured in the evening.
Summary
Sources (2) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the area 25 kilometers west of Mogadishu. A later FOIA response pointed to the village of Mubaraak (مبارك), for which the coordinates are: 1.9172773, 44.7731843. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
United States Armed Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours of Dec. 27, 2017, approximately 25 kilometers west of the capital, killing four (4) terrorists and destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu.
We assess no civilians were killed in this strike.
U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups. This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region.
Together with other international partners, the United States is committed to providing Somalia, AMISOM and SNSF with support in the fight against violent extremist organizations.