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Airwars Assessment
(Previous Incident Code: SOM158)
The US military carried out an airstrike in the Golis Mountains, according to a press release from US Africa Command.
Unusually for recent strikes in the area, the attack targeted al Shabaab rather than ISIS according to AFRICOM. The strike reportedly killed three al Shabaab fighters, with AFRICOM saying that it currently assessed no civilians had been harmed.
“The Golis Mountains are a known area for al-Shabaab camps and ongoing fighting between al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia,” the release further noted.
No additional public information is presently known about this event.
Key Information
Geolocation Notes
In its own public reporting of airstrikes in northern Somalia, AFRICOM tends to cite only ‘the vicinity of the Golis Mountains’ – instead of the nearest settlement usually provided for elsewhere. The Golis Mountains extend from the border with Ethiopia into Somaliland, and then eastwards to Puntland. Given that both ISIS and Al Shabaab are reportedly present more in Puntland, or on the Puntland/Somaliland borders, it is likely this strike took place in that region. In this respect, and in combining the information available from sources of alleged militant activity in the South-west and South-east of Bosaso, and several mentions of Galgala, we have chosen a generic middle point, for which the coordinates are: 11.060894, 49.184169. Due to limited satellite imagery, and public reporting available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Combining the information available from sources of alleged militant activity in the South-west and South-east of Bosaso, and several mentions of Galgala, we have chosen a generic middle point.
Imagery: Google Earth
Military Statements
Media From Sources (4)
Three Al-Shabaab militants killed in a new US military strike in Golis Mountains, Puntland, on Friday - per @USAfricaCommand statement https://t.co/tMEWYeovhC
— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) May 25, 2019