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.
Image:
Library image of an armed Reaper drone, December 2019 (US Air Force/ Senior Sergeant Haley Stevens)
Airwars estimate of civilian deaths
85 – 162
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 102 separate alleged incidents.
23 – 26
children likely killed
12 – 13
women likely killed
35 – 55
likely injured
84
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
259 – 427
Locally reported civilian deaths from U.S. Forces actions in Somalia.
102 separate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
85 – 162
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by U.S. Forces.
37 separate alleged incidents
Weak
89 – 98
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
26 separate alleged incidents
Contested
74 – 149
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
25 separate alleged incidents
Discounted
11 – 18
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
14 separate alleged incidents
555 incidents
Incident Date
27 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM596
Location
approximately 132 km northwest of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
Incident Date
19 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM595
Location
approximately 80 km northeast of Jamaame, Lower Juba, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
Incident Date
18 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM594
Location
65 km southeast of Bossaso, Bari, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
Incident Date
16 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM593
Location
in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains, approximately 45 km southeast of Bossaso, Bari, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
Incident Date
15 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM592
Location
in the vicinity of Mubaraak, approximately 60km west of Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
Incident Date
11 March 2026
Incident Code
USSOM591
Location
in the vicinity of Xawaadleey, approximately 60 km north of Mogadishu, Middle Shabelle, Somalia
Summary
Published
4 May 2026
Strike Type
Airstrike
Actor
U.S. Forces
13 Aug, 2026
Investigations, Update
Somalia, Yemen, Iraq
The U.S. accepts killing more than 140 civilians in just two strikes
Department of Defense report follows Airwars' strike-by-strike documentation of all U.S. bombing campaigns
30 Sept, 2025
Collection
Somalia, Yemen
Trump under scrutiny
Collection page gathering crucial resources on military actions during the Trump second term, and the impact on civilians
17 May, 2023
Visualisation
Somalia
Militant deaths per year in Somalia
Since 2007, the United States has targeted alleged fighters from three main terror networks operating in Somalia: Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab and ISIS. While declared US actions are often accompanied by an official estimate of militants killed, local reporting may indicate differing claims, resulting in a fatality range.
17 May, 2023
Visualisation
Somalia
Reported civilian deaths from US Forces strikes in Somalia
Database tracks casualties in Somalia from U.S. strikes
1 Feb, 2023
Policy, Research
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen
US airstrikes fell to historic low in 2022, despite fresh operations
The overall number of declared US airstrikes across all monitored military theatres fell from 441 in 2021 to a minimum of 36 in 2022
29 Sept, 2022
Visualisation
Somalia
Declared and alleged US actions in Somalia
Chart shows publicly declared U.S. strikes vs unreported operations