Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USSOM402

Incident date

September 2, 2023

Location

Xerta Sheikh Mohamed Rage Center, about 500 meters south of Dumaaye village, Mudug, Somalia

Airwars assessment

Somali state media reported that 167 al-Shabaab militants were killed by Somali airstrikes in collaboration with “international partners” near Harardhere town on September 2, 2023. al-Shabaab instead identified those killed as four inmates in a prison, adding that seven others were injured, while a local source attributed the airstrike to the US military.

@HarunMaruf quoted the Somalia interior and federal affairs minister @AhmedMoFiqi who reported that an al-Shabaab base near Harardhere town has been targeted while another source identified airstrikes as being used in the targeting. @HarunMaruf also quoted state media which reported that the strike was in collaboration with “international partners” and killed “many terrorists and their leaders” while al-Shabaab media reported that the strike hit a prison killing 4 inmates, and injuring 7 others, 3 of them seriously. The Somali government later claimed that 167 militants were killed in the airstrike, a number which was not independently verified.

Goobjoog News identified the airstrike as being carried out by the US, according to military sources, and identified the target of the strikes as a forest in Dumaye area where al-Shabaab militants were gathering.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • (0–4 other protected persons)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–167

US Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US Forces
  • US Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Somali Military Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Somali Military Forces
  • Somali Military Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • (0–4 other protected persons)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected belligerents
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–167