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Airwars Assessment
(Previous Incident Code: SOM159)
The US military carried out a fresh airstrike targeting al Shabaab (rather than ISIS) in the Golis Mountains, according to a press release issued by US Africa Command.
The strike killed three al Shabaab fighters, AFRICOM asserted – saying that it currently assessed that no civilians had been harmed in the attack.
This marked the sixth declared strike that AFRICOM had carried out in the Golis Mountains – against both al Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia – in the last month.
“The last few days presented opportunities to successfully reduce terrorist influence and activity,” said US Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Huston, deputy director of operations, U.S. Africa Command in a statement.
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 (3)
U.S. military says new airstrike in Golis Mountains, northeast Somalia, killed three militants on Sunday https://t.co/79JqamKckZ
— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) May 27, 2019