Airwars assessment
On the 25th of January, 2024, an alleged Somali or US drone or air strike was conducted against the Al-Shabaab militant group in the town of Gal Hereri, in the Galgaduud region of Central Somalia, killing at least 20 militants, according to Somali regional and military officials. One woman, Maido Yusuf Abdulle, was reported to have been fatally injured in the drone strike, and was one of ten civilians killed or injured, according to Mogadishu News.
On the 25th of January, VOA News (Voice of America) quoted the Galmudug Regional Security Minister, Mohamed Aden Gaboobe who announced that “Somali military forces, supported by international partners, conducted the strike in the town of Gal Hareri, targeting sites used by militants to manufacture improvised firearms, bombs and other explosives”. According to Uzalendo News, a Kenyan online newspaper, Mohamed Aden Gaboobe had also stated that the strike had additionally “targeted Radio Andalus, Al-Shabaab’s mouthpiece in Somalia.”
VOA News noted that no details were provided regarding which international partners’ “drones were involved in the strike”. VOA News further emphasized that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had “often conducted such strikes in Somalia at the request of Somalia’s federal government”. However, one Somali security official, who had requested anonymity, told VOA News that Turkish drones “were also providing air support to Somali forces”.
M.M. Dhoore, a former BBC journalist and current managing editor of SNTV London stated that the number of militants killed in the strike was higher, quoting Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) which claimed that 30 militants had been killed, including 11 “top commanders”. The released list of the 11 commanders killed included Abdi Jarin Shan-Bogolle and Abdullahi Maalim Bashir. Haberler.com reported that Abdi Jarin Shan-Bogolle was known as one of the ‘Khawrij’ founders in the Galgaduud region. ‘Khawrij’ is the preferred term recently used by the Somali government to refer to the Al-Shabaab militant group.
On the 27th of January, Mogadishu News posted a tweet on X/Twitter regarding the attack, stating that 10 civilians had been killed or injured, including women and children. Mogadishu News also referred to unnamed pro-Al-Shabaab media sources who, they said, had “released photos of the victims of the airstrike”.
The Mogadishu News X/Twitter post also referred to reporting that Maido Yusuf Abdulle, a mother of two children, had “succumbed to her injuries” on the 27th of January, following the strike, which they attributed to the US. The claim that 10 civilians were killed or injured by the strike was repeated by independent Somali journalist Huda Farhan, who tweeted a statement which was identical to that of Mogadishu News.
On the 26th of January, one user of the social media platform Telegram, Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada, posted a series of very graphic photos showing the dead bodies of individuals allegedly killed or injured in the strike.
In their Civilian Casualty Assessment Report; 2nd Quarter, FY2024, US AFRICOM denied their involvement in the strike, stating that ” On Jan. 25, 2024, the command received one (1) report from an online media source stating multiple civilians were killed as a result of a U.S. military operation in the vicinity of Galhareri, Somalia, on Jan. 24, 2024. USAFRICOM completed a review of all available information and determined that there were no U.S. military operations at the time and place reported.”
The local time of the incident is unknown.
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (10) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]
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Source: @dhoorebbc -
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Source: @dhoorebbc -
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Source: @Mogadishu_News -
Source: @dhoorebbc
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Source: @UzalendoNews_KE -
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Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
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Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram
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This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram -
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: Ololaha la dagaalanka Argagixisada Telegram
Somali Military Forces Assessment:
Media
from belligerent (2) [ collapse]
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Source: @dhoorebbc
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Source: @dhoorebbc
US Forces Assessment:
Civilian casualty statements
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On Jan. 25, 2024, the command received one (1) report from an online media source stating multiple civilians were killed as a result of a U.S. military operation in the vicinity of Galhareri, Somalia, on Jan. 24, 2024. USAFRICOM completed a review of all available information and determined that there were no U.S. military operations at the time and place reported.