(Previous Incident Code: SOM167)

An airstrike near Jilib killed one al Shabaab fighter, according to US Africa Command. There were no known reports of civilian harm, an official press statement asserted.

“At this time, it is assessed the airstrike killed one (1) terrorist. Strikes near Jilib disrupt al-Shabaab’s freedom of maneuver.  Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike,” the press release read.

Hivsasa later reported that the strike was said to have targeted “an Al-Shabaab operative who has been reportedly on [the] run after being put on black books by KDF and allied forces. Tuesday’s strike aimed at the militant, whose details were not immediately released by the forces, but he’s accused of organising several successful attacks.”

AFRICOM later informed the Bureau of Investigative Journalism that there had been a second strike in the vicinity of Jilib on this date, which is listed as a separate event.

According to Halgan Media, the strike took place on the road between Jilib town and the port city of Kismaayo.

Taqwa Media reported similar, while also suggesting more details of the strike: “Drone strike against al Shabaab targets has killed a high-value target (HVT), an al Shabaab leader on the road connecting Jilib town and the port city of Kismayu in Somalia. The drone strikes yet to be confirmed hit and neutralized the vehicle of the al Shabaab leader and his bodyguards approximately 1050hrs in southern Somalia.”