Airwars assessment
An Al Shabaab facility was hit by a US airstrike near Jilib, according to AFRICOM.
The press statement, released two days later, asserted: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab terrorists and a compound in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, Feb. 6… Initial assessments conclude one (1) al-Shabaab facility was severely degraded, and two (2) al-Shabaab terrorists were wounded as a result of these two airstrikes. We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of these airstrikes.”
Somali state media SONNA said that the strike took place within the city of Jilib, while Halgan claimed that the US had used an armed drone.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (18) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes on compounds in the vicinity of Jilib (جيليب) town, for which due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The coordinates for Jilib are: 0.494527, 42.777868
United States Armed Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted two (2) airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab terrorists and a compound in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, Feb. 6.
“Airstrikes are one way we help prevent al-Shabaab from building a safe haven to plan deadly attacks against the U.S. homeland and East African partners,” said U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bradford Gering, deputy director of operations, U.S. Africa Command.
Al-Shabaab is the most kinetically-active al-Qaida affiliate worldwide. Al-Shabaab’s network indiscriminately commits acts of violence and is responsible for the deaths of innocent Africans, Western allies, and American citizens.
Initial assessments conclude one (1) al-Shabaab facility was severely degraded, and two (2) al-Shabaab terrorists were wounded as a result of these two airstrikes.
We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of these airstrikes.
U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States. In support of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counterterrorism operations with the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali National Army forces.