Geolocation
Airwars assessment
AFRICOM reported the day previously it had conducted “one airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Dheerow Sanle, Somalia, on January 2, 2019.”
It added: “At this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.” However, AFRICOM stated that “10 militants” were killed in this event.
Voice of America reporter Harun Maruf stated that “This strike targeted an explosives training camp in Dheerow Sanle near Bulo Falay, Bay region. 2 explosives trainers identified as Sheikh Daud and Liban Yare among 9 killed, 7 injured, reports.” Somali military sources placed the attack 150km south west of Mogadishu, according to local media.
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 Dheerow Sanle.
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 Deerow Sanle, for which the coordinates are: 1.4603, 43.16366. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (9) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
To support the Federal Government of Somalia's continued efforts to degrade al-Shabaab, U.S. forces conducted one (1) airstrike targeting al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Dheerow Sanle, Somalia, on January 2, 2019.
This airstrike was conducted to diminish al-Shabaab’s freedom of movement and to increase pressure on the terrorist network in the area.
We currently assess this airstrike killed ten (10) militants.
At this time we assess no civilians were injured or killed in this airstrike.
Alongside our Somali and international partners, we are committed to preventing al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia. In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.
U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States, and U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered military counter-terror operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces.