Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Between eight and 200 al-Shabaab militants were killed by declared US airstrikes in support of Somali forces and/or Somali ground operations near the villages of Cadale, Mora-Erri, Garas Magan, and El Hareeri on November 3, 2022.
AFRICOM released a statement two days later, on November 5th, that “In support of the Federal Government of Somalia’s ongoing operations against al-Shabaab, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense strike against al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking Somali National Army forces near Cadale, Somalia, on Nov. 3, 2022. The command’s initial assessment is that the Somalia National Army-requested strike killed 15 attacking al-Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.”
Hiiraan Online News reported that “Abdullahi Ali Anod, a spokesman for the defence ministry told reporters in Mogadishu that 100 al-Shabab fighters were killed during the “intense operation” in the Garas Magan and El Hareeri villages of the Hiran region and that drones were striking the militants during the fight. Another member of the Somali military, Major Ahmed Abdullahi Beeryare, commander of the 16th battalion of the US-trained Danab commandos, told local media in Hiiiraan that “the number of al-Shabab fatalities could be as high as 200.” Hiiraan added that new organizations had not yet verified the government casualty claims.
Reuters reported that al-Shabaab stated that they killed dozens of Somali army soldiers and macawisley fighters during clashes with the army and that eight of their own fighters were killed by US airstrikes. Reuters also mentioned that the Somali national army posted photographs of the bodies of alleged al-Shabaab fighters on their Telegram channel.
The US airstrike came as Somali Armed Forces were advancing to Adanyabal, an al-Shabaab stronghold, after Somali troops took over Qura’dhere and Habal-Hussein villages that same day, according to @dhoorebbc.
The incident occured in the evening.
Geolocation notes
Reports of the incident mention the town of Cadale, for which the generic coordinates are: 2.760694, 46.322374. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.
Summary
Sources (17) [ collapse]
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
In support of the Federal Government of Somalia’s ongoing operations against al-Shabaab, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense strike against al-Shabaab terrorists who were attacking Somali National Army forces near Cadale, Somalia, on Nov. 3, 2022.
The command’s initial assessment is that the Somalia National Army-requested strike killed 15 attacking al-Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed.
U.S. Africa Command takes great measures to prevent civilian casualties. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote a more secure and stable Africa.
Al-Shabaab is the largest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack partner and U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests.
Somalia remains key to the security environment in East Africa. U.S. Africa Command’s forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to give them the tools that they need to degrade al-Shabaab.
U.S. Africa Command will continue to assess the results of the operation and will provide additional information as appropriate. Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operations security.
U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.