U.S. Forces in Somalia

US forces began conducting airstrikes against Al-Qaeda in Somalia in 2007. Following Ethiopia’s military intervention and the capture of large swathes of the country by Al-Shabaab, US forces escalated their air campaign.

Airwars has documented numerous allegations of civilian harm from US strikes in Somalia since 2007.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

93 – 170

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely U.S. Forces actions in Somalia for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the U.S. Forces. These originate from 103 separate alleged incidents.

25 – 28
children likely killed
14 – 15
women likely killed
35
likely injured
91
named victims

U.S. Forces estimate of civilian deaths

6

Confirmed civilian deaths, from U.S. Forces actions in Somalia, originating from 5 separate incidents of civilian harm.

11
civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
267 – 435
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S. Forces actions in Somalia.
103 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
93 – 170
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S. Forces
38 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
89 – 98
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
26 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
74 – 147
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
24 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
11 – 20
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
15 seperate alleged incidents
552 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

24–25 July, 2018

Incident Code

USSOM137

Location

Qalimow, Middle Shabelle, Somalia
Unknown aircraft were reported to have struck the vicinity of Qalimow village about 60km north of Mogadishu on the night of July 24th-25th. Villagers told local media that several missiles had targeted Al-Shabab vehicles. The attack - which almost all sources said was by drone - followed the recent recapture of Qalimow from Somalia forces.…

Summary

Published
23 July 2018
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Incident Date

23 July 2018

Incident Code

USSOM136

Location

Baar Sanguni, 50 km north of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
US forces carried out a strike against al Shabaab in an area around 50 kilometres north of Kismayo, a US Africa Command spokesperson later told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Post-strike analysis had not revealed the number of militants killed, a US spokesperson told the Bureau in an email exchange on July 31st. The event…

Summary

Published
23 July 2018
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Incident Date

22–27 July, 2018

Incident Code

USSOM135-C

Location

Marka, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A strike reportedly hit a village outside Marka, a city around 60 miles south of Mogadishu, according to a field investigation by a reporter for The Nation. There were no reports of immediate civilian harm, though a man reportedly died of a heart attack following the violence. Airwars has placed this event in a date…

Summary

Published
22 July 2018
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Incident Date

10–11 July, 2018

Incident Code

USSOM134

Location

Jawaari, Middle Juba, Somalia
An airstrike near the village of Jawaari was variously blamed on US and Kenyan forces. Mareeg, a Somali news outlet, reported a strike by unidentified jets which it said had potentially killed eight members of al Shabaab. The terror group itself reportedly denied that any of its fighters were killed. The source of Mareeg's information…

Summary

Published
10 July 2018
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Incident Date

8 June 2018

Incident Code

USSOM133

Location

Baar, Lower Juba, Somalia
An American Special Forces soldier was killed - later named as Staff Sergeant Alexander Conrad - and four others were wounded in an attack by al Shabaab fighters in Jubaland. A member of a partner force was also killed or injured. The US soldiers were among a large force of 800 Somali and Kenyan soldiers…

Summary

Published
8 June 2018
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Incident Date

3 June 2018

Incident Code

USSOM132

Location

24 miles southwest of Bosaso, Bari, Somalia
US Africa Command told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) in July 2018 that it had carried out two strikes in early June - one previously undisclosed. The second took place on June 3rd, and targeted members of al Shabaab approximately 24 miles southwest of Bosasso, according to AFRICOM. "We currently assess no terrorists and…

Summary

Published
3 June 2018
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