(Previous Incident Code: SOM136)

US Africa Command reported that the previous day, it had carried an airstrike in the vicinity of Kobon, near the city of Kismayo.

AFRICOM added that “at this time, it was assessed no civilians were injured or killed in either airstrike.”

AFRICOM did not specify the number of belligerents killed, although AP reported that eight “extremists” were killed. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, this number was later also confirmed to them via email from AFRICOM.

However, citing local officials, reporter Abdi Rahman Adani claimed in a tweet that “Jubaland military officials say 32 #AlShabaab militants were killed in two US airstrikes at the road connects Araare and Kaban village in lower Jubba on Friday night at 7pm, local time. #Somalia”.

Xinhua placed the militant death toll at 30 – and also placed the attack at Jamaame based on comments from Somali officials the following day: “Said Jogsade, Jubaland’s operational spokesman told journalists that Somali National Armed Forces backed by Jubba land forces and U.S. Africa Command killed 30 al-Shabab extremists in an operation in Jamame town in Lower Jubba. ‘The joint forces conducted offensives in Jamame killing 30 al-Shabab fighters. We will intensify the operations to root out the terrorists from our region,’ Jogsade said.

“Residents in nearby towns said they heard the sound of heavy weapons. ‘We heard blasts in Jamame and learnt that al-Shabab fighters in the town were attacked by government forces,’ Jibril Adam, a resident told Xinhua.”

In a subsequent FOIA response obtained by US reporter Joshua Eaton in May 2019, AFRICOM again gave the location of the strike on this date as being in the vicinity of Kobon, and said the targets had been al Shabaab fighters.