Airwars assessment
A source affiliated with al-Shabaab reported that five civilian farmers were killed by a “US and Somali special forces” operation in Lower Shabelle on March 10th while US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced that they had killed three al-Shabaab militants in airstrikes “in the vicinity of Ugunji.”
AFRICOM declared their involvement in the strike on March 12th: “At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 10. The collective self-defense airstrike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Ugunji approximately 71 km southwest of Mogadishu. The initial post-strike assessment indicates that the U.S. airstrike killed three al-Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were harmed.”
The Somali Guardian quoted “al-Shabaab-affiliated media” which allegedly “released images purporting to show 5 farmers allegedly killed by US and Somali special forces during an overnight operation in the Lower Shabelle region.” @Mogadishu_news provided similar information that it also credited to al-Shabaab, stating that “it ambushed a joint US-Somali convoy outside Janale town, lower Shabelle region, last night. The group also reports US and Somali special forces killed 5 farmers in Ugunji, near Janale.” @Mogadishu_news also published an image of a burnt up truck and the bodies of five deceased men. Airwars was not able to find the original al-Shabaab-affiliated source and as there were no additional sources corroborating this information, has graded this as a “weak” civilian harm status.
The local time of the incident is unknown.
Summary
Sources (16) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]
-
Source: @Mogadishu_news
-
This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.
Source: @Mogadishu_news
US Forces Assessment:
Original strike reports
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike against the al-Shabaab terrorist group on Mar. 10.
The collective self-defense airstrike occurred in a remote area in the vicinity of Ugunji approximately 71 km southwest of Mogadishu.
The initial post-strike assessment indicates that the U.S. airstrike killed three al-Shabaab terrorists and that no civilians were harmed.
Al-Shabaab has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threatened U.S. security interests. U.S. Africa Command, alongside its partners, continues to take action to prevent this malicious terrorist group from planning and conducing attacks in the region, which disproportionately harms civilians.
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, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with partners, counters malign actors and international threats, responds to crises, and strengthens security forces in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity.