Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

USYEMTr002

Incident date

January 21, 2017

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Sama'a, Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.166667, 45.831111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to District level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

There were some unconfirmed reports of a January 21st US drone strike in Sama’a, al-Bayda province, killing up to three alleged AQAP militants. The strike was reported to have occurred in the same general area as a second, confirmed strike on the same day.

All but one source said that three militants had died in the attack – with most sources also describing a pickup truck as having been targeted. SMA News reported only that three ‘people’ had died in the attack – noting that it did not have additional details on their identities at the time.

Al-Masdar Online, which indicated that the strike took place in the Al-Fara’a area of Sama’a, named the “suspected” militants killed as Mithaq Al-Adani, Jarrah Al-San’ani and Ammar Al-Hadi.

AFP instead reported on January 22nd that anonymous security officials said that a drone strike had taken place against a motorcycle, the second of two attacks the previous day.  Some local sources similarly reported that a strike had taken place against a motorcycle, while others reported that a strike had taken place against a vehicle. US Central Command later acknowledged only one strike on the 21st.

Due to the geographical proximity of this reported strike to others during the same time period, it is possible that some or all of these reports instead refer to one or more other listed drone strikes from the 20th-22nd January 2017. However it also remains possible that this was an undeclared CIA action.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3–4

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a strike on a vehicle in the district of Al Suma’a (مديرية الصومعة), for which the generic coordinates are: 14.166667, 45.831111. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention a strike on a vehicle in the district of Al Suma’a (مديرية الصومعة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attacker
    US Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3–4

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USYEMTr001

Incident date

January 20, 2017

Location

مديرية الصومعة, Al Suma'a, Bayda, Yemen

Geolocation

14.238230, 45.833603 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

On January 25th 2017, a US spokesperson confirmed that a strike took place in al-Bayda governorate on January 20th, killing one AQAP operative.  This confirmed reports that a US drone strike in al-Suma’a district, Bayda governorate, killed at least one alleged AQAP militant on that afternoon. There were no known reports of civilian harm.  January 20th 2017 marked the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency.

Several reports, from sources including @demolinari and Nashwa News, named the alleged AQAP member killed as “leader” Abu Anas Al-Ibbi, who AFP reported to be a “local military instructor” for AQAP.  Others, including Sky News Arabia, described the person killed as a “moderate” leader in AQAP.

Some sources, however, later suggested that Al-Ibbi was killed in a further strike on January 21st 2020.  Lime Charlie News indicated that Al-Ibbi was killed on January 21st, but also described the person killed in the strike a day prior as “a militia organizer and trainer of militia members”, matching AFP’s description of Al-Ibbi as an “instructor”.  According to Lima Charlie News, the “high value target” killed on January 20th resided in a small building behind a Madressa, and the target’s whereabouts was confirmed by “assets” on the ground prior to the strike.

An AQAP statement later confirmed that “brother jihadist” Abu Anas Al-Ibbi had been killed by a US drone strike on the afternoon of January 20th.  Twitter sources, including @demolinari and @yemencurrent, indicated that the strike targeted a car in the area, and the latter specified that it took place at around 11:50 AM.

On January 23rd 2017, a US military spokesperson stated that three airstrikes had targeted AQAP militants in al-Bayda governorate from the 20th to the 22nd, killing five.

Although the strike occurred on the same day as the inauguration of the US president, the Washington Post reported Pentagon spokesperson Navy Captain Jeff Davis as saying that they (three strikes confirmed by the US) did not require approval by recently appointed Defense Secretary James Mattis or of new President Donald Trump.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Alleged location of January 20th strike
  • A statement from a pro-AQAP media outlet stated that Al-Ibbi had been killed by a US drone strike on the afternoon of January 20th 2017 (@TerrorMonitorAR, January 21st 2017)

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention a strike on a vehicle in the district of Al Suma’a (مديرية الصومعة). Yemen Current (@yemencurrent) alleged that the exact coordinates for this incident are: 14.238230, 45.833603, we can confirm that this location is within the district mentioned, however, due to limited information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

  • Reports of the incident mention a strike on a vehicle in the district of Al Suma'a (مديرية الصومعة).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • The alleged exact location of the strike according to one source.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

The U.S. military conducted strikes on al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula operatives in central Yemen on Jan. 20, 21 and 22.

On Jan. 20, one strike killed an AQAP operative in the al-Baydah Governorate.

On Jan. 21, one strike killed three AQAP operatives in the al-Baydah Governorate.

On Jan. 22, one strike killed an AQAP operative in the al-Baydah Governorate.

"Strikes against al-Qa'ida operatives in Yemen put consistent pressure on the terrorist network and prevent them from plotting and executing attacks against the U.S. and our allies," said Army Maj. Josh T. Jacques, a U.S. Central Command spokesman. "AQAP remains a significant threat to the region, the United States, and beyond."

The CENTCOM mission is to direct and enable military operations and activities with allies and partners to increase regional security and stability in support of enduring U.S. interests.

"U.S. Central Command remains committed to defeating AQAP and denying it safe havens in Yemen," Jacques said.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM068

Incident date

January 7, 2017

Location

Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

-0.0741815, 42.5719168 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the last declared Somalia strike of Barack Obama’s presidency, the US conducted a “self-defence strike” against al Shabaab on January 7th, according to a US Africa Command press release published on January 10th.

The strike was conducted “in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, Somali partner forces, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces and U.S. advisors” after al Shabaab fighters reportedly threatened their safety.

The press release referred to al Shabaab as an “al Qaeda-associated terrorist group”. Al Shabaab was by then considered to be an “associated force” of al Qaeda which gave the US military more leeway to target the group.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Gaduud, for which the generic coordinates are: -0.0741815, 42.5719168. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

"On January 7, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, Somali partner forces, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces and U.S. advisors conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Gaduud, Somalia.

During a counterterrorism operation to disrupt al-Shabaab, the combined partner forces observed al-Shabaab fighters threatening their safety and security. The U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, no enemy fighters were killed."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM067

Incident date

December 5–6, 2016

Location

Omar Beere/Ibrahim Ali Berre camp near Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two media organisations reported a possible US air operation targeting an al Shabaab base in the Lower Shabelle region.

Dalsan Radio reported that Somali commandos backed by US Special Forces had attacked al Shabaab bases in Omar Berre in Lower Shabelle overnight using helicopters. It also quoted what it said was an eyewitness: “‘We heard several blasts on the outskirts of Omar beere location near Tooratoorow overnight. We can’t confirm how many people died in the attacks,’ said local resident Hussein Mohamed.”

Shabelle Media Network said that fighter jets believed to be US military conducted an air strike targeting a base. Sources told the network that helicopters were also used to target al Shabaab’s Ibrahim Ali Berre camp. it added that “Reliable sources tell Radio Shabelle that several Al shabaab foreign commanders were nabbed in a ground military operation at Ibrahim Ali Berre near Tararow district after the airstrike.”

The US said at the time that they had not conducted an operation in the area. A spokesperson from AFRICOM told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism however that over the night/morning of December 5th-6th, the Somali National Army had conducted a mission to disrupt al Shabaab, killing one alleged fighter. US forces were working with the Somali army as advisors, the spokesperson added.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Omar Beere or Ibrahim Ali Berre camp, near the village of Tortoroow/Torato. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location of the camp. However, the generic coordinates for the village of Tortoroow/Torato are: 2.25045, 44.69117.

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
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Suspected attackers
    US Forces, Somali Military Forces
  • Suspected target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R1672

Incident date

November 23, 2016

Location

جاسم, Jassem, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.991344, 36.060136 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported about a major incident in the city of Jassem, Dara’a, that reportedly killed up to nine civilians, including children and women, and wounded between two and 20. Several sources described the incident as a “massacre”.

Local reports varied, spanning between five to nine reported civilian casualties, while most said that five were killed.  For example, Step News reported that “five civilians were killed in an initial toll and others were wounded in the ranks of civilians, including women and children”. Meanwhile, Qasioun News reported that “The Russian fighter jets committed a massacre as a result of air raids on residential areas in the city of Jassim in the Jaidur area in the northern Daraa countryside, resulting in 7 civilian deaths and dozens of injuries, some of whom were seriously wounded and transferred to nearby medical points”,

Eleven of the sources, hence the majority, attributed the incident to Russia. These were among others  LCCSY, Syrian PC and Step News Agency. Meanwhile, five sources (SN4HR, SOHR, SNN  RFS and Muheet) blamed the Syrian regime. The remaining sources did not identify a cultprit.

LCCSY, SyrianPC and Dara Martyrs identified seven of the victims by name, listed below.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hisham Mohammed Khaled Al-Hajji
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Khair Issa Al-Hajji
Adult male killed
Mahmoud Fayez Hamza Al - Hajji
Age unknown killed
Mohamed Kheir Ismail El Nasser
Age unknown male killed
Ismail Hassan Hajjaj
Age unknown male killed
Hamza Ismail Hajjaj
Age unknown male killed
Mouhammad Ahmad Hennawi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (17) [ collapse]

  • News report about the lethal shelling of Jassam, Dara'a, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Al-Arabiya)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage from the immediate, chaotic aftermath of the contested aerial shelling of Jasssem, Dara'a (via Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Kassem, Dara'a, allegedly carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime (via Dara Martyrs)
  • Footage from the immediate aftermath of the contested aerial shelling of Jasssem, Dara'a (via SMO News)
  • Aftermath of the contested aerial shelling of Jasssem, Dara'a (via Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Aftermath of the contested aerial shelling of Jasssem, Dara'a (@sameer88967 twitter)
  • Mohammed Khair Issa Al-Hajji was reportedly killed by the contested airstrikes in Kassem, Dara'a (via Jaassemcity)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Jassem (جاسم), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.991344, 36.060136. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 9
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM065

Incident date

September 26, 2016

Location

Caba, Lower Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

-0.232554, 41.950809 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The US reported in a press release published on September 27th that it had conducted a “self-defence strike” in Caba near Kismayo the previous day, killing four al Shabaab fighters .

The press release said that a group of armed al Shabaab fighters attacked the Somali force and their US advisors. The Somali forces returned fire, but could not stop the attack. The US said that they conducted the strike in response:

“On September 26, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Caba, near Kismayo, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked, threatening the safety and security of the Somali force and their U.S. advisors. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense, killing several militants.  However, enemy fighters continued to attack the Somali force. In response, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) enemy fighters.”

Garowe Online placed the attack “about 45km west of Kismayo” in Kanjaron district, and said five al Shabaab fighers were killed and several commanders captured.

The Long War Journal questioned whether the strike was in fact defensive, noting that “AFRICOM’s latest so-called self-defense strike against Shabaab highlights the difference between the rhetoric and the reality of the Obama administration and the US military’s deployment of forces against jihadist groups overseas. The administration and the military often insist that US forces are deployed in countries such as Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen in a purely “advise and assist” role and are not engaging in combat operations. And yet, in the case of the Somali raid that targeted Shabaab training camps, US forces clearly are operating in a combat environment — if you raid an al Qaeda camp, you should expect to be engaged in direct fighting. In this instance, clearly AFRICOM was prepared for forces to engage in battle, as US air assets were on station.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Caba, near Kismayo, for which the coordinates are: -0.232554, 41.950809. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

"On September 26, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, in Caba, near Kismayo, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked, threatening the safety and security of the Somali force and their U.S. advisors. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense, killing several militants. However, enemy fighters continued to attack the Somali force. In response, the U.S. conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) enemy fighters."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    4–5

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM064

Incident date

September 10, 2016

Location

سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia

Geolocation

1.637795, 42.452829 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in  May 2019, this previously unknown confirmed US strike took place in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia against an unspecified “al-Shabaab Named Objective”.

This incident was not previously publicly known. No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention that the strike took place in the vicinity of the town Saakow, for which the coordinates are: 1.637795, 42.452829. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

According to a Freedom of Information request in May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in IVO Saakow, Somalia against an "al-Shabaab Named Objective".

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

USSOM062

Incident date

September 5, 2016

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia

Geolocation

2.25045, 44.69117 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The US reported two days after the event that it had conducted two “self-defence strikes” on September 5th against al Shabaab, killing four militants.

According to an AFRICOM press release, the strikes hit near Tortoroow and were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia after a Somali-led counter-terrorism operation came under attack.

Garowe Online offered a more detailed report based on its local sources: ” A Somali commando unit backed by US special forces have launched anti terror raid on Al Shabaab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region on Sunday night, killing senior militant commanders, Garowe Online reports. A local resident revealed to GO, that the allied forces have encountered a heavy resistance, which led to hours-long gunfight around the rebel-held Toratorow town, 120 km west of Somali capital, Mogadishu.

“Witnesses told GO that U.S. military used helicopters in the raid and dropped Somalia’s newly US-trained Danab soldiers on the outskirts of the town to hunt for the militants on foot. Sources confirmed the death of three high-ranking Al Shabaab commanders in the airstrike targeted on suspected hideouts of Al Shabaab leaders’ hideouts.”

Voice of America also reported on the incident – though referred only to the AFRICOM statement, noting that “‘During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area,’ said Captain Jennifer Dyrcz, a U.S. Africa Command spokeswoman.”

Al Shabaab itself denied any casualties in the attack, according to VOA reporter Harun Maruf.

Airwars is treating these as separate events for this date. We have assigned three deaths to this incident only, to avoid double counting.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Tortoroow, for which the generic coordinates are: 2.25045, 44.69117. Due to limited information and satellite imagery available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

US Forces Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US Forces

"On September 5, 2016, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted two (2) self-defense strikes against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group, near Tortoroow, Somalia.

During a Somali-led counterterrorism operation, a large group of armed al-Shabaab fighters attacked the force, threatening the safety and security of the forces in the area. In response, the U.S. conducted two (2) self-defense strikes to neutralize the threat, killing four (4) al-Shabaab militants."

Summary

  • Strike status
    Declared strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Causes of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
  • Known attacker
    US Forces
  • Known target
    Al-Shabaab
  • Belligerents reported killed
    3

Sources (3) [ collapse]