Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USSOM203

Incident date

March 7, 2019

Location

Bur Madow area, Bay, Somalia

Geolocation

2.781494, 44.183406 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A possible US or Kenyan airstrike was conducted in the Bur Madow area, Bay region according to Mareeg Media.

The article, published a day after the alleged strike, did not state if anybody had been killed.

According to Mareeg: “Unknown fighter jets carried out an airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab foreign fighters in south west of Somalia. The strike was carried out near Bur Madow area in Bay region. It’s unclear who carried out Thursday’s strike. Somali government has not commented on the new air strike yet.”

No additional sources have presently been identified for this allegation.

Asked whether it had been responsible for this event, in February 2020 a senior AFRICOM official told Airwars that this was not the case. However, this may not preclude actions by the CIA which conducts its own undeclared strikes in Somalia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the Bur Madow area in the Bay region. Based on UN mapping of the area, there are two settlements that this location could refer to: Madow Burre at 2.95976, 44.20776 and Madow-Buure at 2.57362, 44.12324. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the correct location. The generic coordinates for the area between the two settlements are: 2.781494, 44.183406.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

US Forces Assessment:

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

Kenyan Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Kenyan Military Forces
  • Kenyan Military Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Kenyan Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]