Civilian Casualty Archive

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480 incidents

Incident Date

10 August 2017

Incident Code

USSOM086

Location

Shashweyne, Banaadir, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information request obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in the vicinity of Shashweyne, Bandir region, Somalia against al-Shabaab fighters. In its FOIA response, AFRICOM again confirmed it had targeted what it says were "AS fighters", in the vicinity of Shashweyne, Banadir…

Summary

Published
10 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 August 2017

Incident Code

USSOM085

Location

Banaadir, Somalia
The US carried out two "kinetic" strikes against al Shabaab members in the Banadir region of southern Somalia on August 10th, US Africa Command announced. There were no known associated public reports of civilian harm. As AFRICOM itself has treated these as distinct events, we have separated them here. A press release from the Somali…

Summary

Published
10 August 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

30 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM084

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed a US strike killed Ali Muhammad Hussein, believed to be a high-level al Shabaab commander. No civilians were reported to have been killed or injured in the strike. The strike took place in Tortoroow in southern Somalia at around 1500 local time on July 30th, reportedly killing Jabal alone. Africom…

Summary

Published
30 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground), Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM083

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
On November 17th, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported actions, which included this strike. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information about…

Summary

Published
29 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM082

Location

Southern Somalia, Bay, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. No casualties were reported. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did…

Summary

Published
28 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM081

Location

Galcayo, Mudug, Somalia
A suspected al Shabaab associate who once lived in the US was arrested during a mission in Somalia, a US Africa Command spokesperson told AP. It was a Somali-led mission with “limited tactical advisory support” from the US, spokesperson Jennifer Dyrcz said. The suspect, identified as Abdirizak Tahlil, was accused of “facilitating the use of improvised…

Summary

Published
23 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM080

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
On November 17th, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. No casualties were reported. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not…

Summary

Published
21 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

20 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM079

Location

Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information…

Summary

Published
20 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

15 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM078

Location

Sunguuni, Lower Juba, Somalia
On November 17th 2017, US Africa Command sent the Bureau of Investigative Journalism a list of previously unreported strikes, which included this one. An AFRICOM spokesperson explained that their goal "is to be as transparent as possible while taking into account operational security, force protection and diplomatic sensitivities." It therefore did not proactively release information…

Summary

Published
15 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

13 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM077

Location

حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
US and Somali special forces carried out a night raid on an al Shabaab-held village in southern Somalia, the district commissioner and a senior Somali intelligence official told reporters. It was the second US operation in the village in two weeks. "Several al-Shabaab fighters" are thought to have been killed according to NBC. Two helicopters…

Summary

Published
13 July 2017
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
2
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM076

Location

Luglaaw, Lower Juba, Somalia
US forces were involved in a "self-defence strike operation" with Somali National Army (SNA) forces "against an al Shabaab troop concentration" in the country's south, according to an Africa Command (AFRICOM) press release. The statement did not include a casualty count, saying it "will continue to assess the results of the operation, and will provide…

Summary

Published
5 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
10–13
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 July 2017

Incident Code

USSOM074

Location

حرمك, Kunya Barrow, Middle Juba, Somalia
A US airstrike in the Lower Shabelle region targeting al Shabaab insurgents killed one member of the terror group, according to AFRICOM. The victim may have been the leader of the group's intelligence wing, Andullahi Haji Daud. There are currently no known associated reports of civilian harm. The strike hit in the south of the…

Summary

Published
2 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2–10 July, 2017

Incident Code

USSOM075-C

Location

O'wdhiile, 55 miles south of Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
An airstrike reportedly killed up to two civilians in O'wdhille, a village about 55 miles south of Mogadishu, according to findings from a field investigation by The Nation. Reporter Amanda Sperber detailed the account of Osman [not his real name] whose relatives were reportedly killed in the strike: "Around 5 pm in early July 2017, Osman…

Summary

Published
2 July 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

11 June 2017

Incident Code

USSOM073

Location

Bohol Jawarey, Middle Juba, Somalia
A US strike on an al Shabaab "command and logistics node" killed eight members of the group, according to a US Africa Command press release. There were claims that Abdirahman Mohamed Warsame, a commander of the terror group's intelligence wing was killed in the strike, though this was not confirmed by AFRICOM. No civilians were…

Summary

Published
11 June 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
8
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

3 June 2017

Incident Code

USSOM072

Location

Welmarow, Lower Juba, Somalia
AFRICOM denied conducting any recent airstrikes in Somalia, a VOA journalist reported - following recent claims of US activities in the Lower Juba region. According to SomNews, US forces had conducted a helicopter assault on the village of Welmarow on the evening of June 3rd: "Helicopters thought to be from United States military have launched …

Summary

Published
3 June 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

4–5 May, 2017

Incident Code

USSOM071

Location

دار السلام, Andalus Radio, Darusalaam, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
In the first confirmed US kinetic operation since President Trump designated Somalia an active war zone in March 2017, one US Navy serviceman was killed and two or three others injured during an operation against al Shabaab in Somalia on May 5th (local time), the first declared American service member death in combat in the…

Summary

Published
5 May 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
4–9
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

14–15 April, 2017

Incident Code

USSOM070

Location

Wargaduud and El Adde, Gedo, Somalia
Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Somali security officials and residents as claiming that over 100 al Shabaab fighters, including 20 commanders, were killed in US air strikes on the morning of April 15th. The attack was denied by US Africa Command, which said the US military had not conducted the action. In an explicit statement…

Summary

Published
15 April 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
100–105
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

24 February 2017

Incident Code

USSOM069

Location

Hawina, north of Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
Somali news outlet Mareeg reported a suspected drone strike on an al Shabaab controlled village. Mareeg reported an eyewitness as saying: “We heard several bomb explosion caused by drone airstrikes in Hawina village.” He added: “It is not clear how many people have been killed or wounded it is very difficult to know the real…

Summary

Published
24 February 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

7 January 2017

Incident Code

USSOM068

Location

Gaduud, Lower Juba, Somalia
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)…

Summary

Published
7 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5–6 December, 2016

Incident Code

USSOM067

Location

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

Summary

Published
6 December 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM066-C

Location

Jehdin, 30 km east of Galkayo, Mudug, Somalia
A US  drone strike on September 28th killed at least ten members of a local friendly militia and not al Shabaab militants as the US had initially believed, according to local communities and an investigation by the Washington Post. Between three and 16 additional members of the Galmadug militia were injured. At least one source,…

Summary

Published
28 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
0–12
Military actors reported killed
10–22
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM065

Location

Caba, Lower Juba, Somalia
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…

Summary

Published
26 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
4–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM064

Location

سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia
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.

Summary

Published
10 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM062

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
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…

Summary

Published
5 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 September 2016

Incident Code

USSOM063

Location

Tortoroow, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
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 in total. 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…

Summary

Published
5 September 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

30 August 2016

Incident Code

USSOM061

Location

Gobanle, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
The US reported that it had conducted a “self-defense strike” against al Shabaab in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia in a press release published on September 7th. It said the strike hit near Gobanale and had resulted in the deaths of two al Shabaab militants. The press release reported that during a Somali-led…

Summary

Published
30 August 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 August 2016

Incident Code

USSOM060

Location

Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia
US forces helped Somali commandos in an operation in southern Somalia that killed several members of al Shabaab, a Pentagon official said on August 16th. The operation took place on August 10th. Somali forces approached an al Shabaab checkpoint. The terrorists reportedly opened fire and a gun battle ensued. “US advisers accompanied the Somali-led force,…

Summary

Published
10 August 2016
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

24 July 2016

Incident Code

USSOM059

Location

El Adde, Gedo, Somalia
Local residents said jets bombed an al Shabaab camp near El Adde in Gedo region late at night on Sunday July 24. The attack hit the same area that 100 Kenyan peacekeepers were killed in January 2016 when al Shabaab forces overran their base. It was attributed to the Kenyan Defence Force with the Pentagon…

Summary

Published
24 July 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
70
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 June 2016

Incident Code

USSOM058

Location

South-central, Bay, Somalia
The US conducted “a self-defence strike against al Shabaab, killing three” in southern Somalia, describing the action as having "provided defensive fires to protect U.S. troops from imminent threats posed by the terrorist group al-Shabaab." A statement from US Africa Command (Africom) issued at the time said “the operation was conducted after it was assessed…

Summary

Published
21 June 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

11 June 2016

Incident Code

USSOM057

Location

Galgala, Bari, Somalia
Unidentified jets struck what were described as "al Shabaab hideouts" in Galgala in the northern autonomous region of Puntland, according to a local report. Garowe Online said the strikes - carried out by warplanes "launched from a carrier at sea" - hit militants in their bases along the Golis Mountain Ranges in Puntland, northern Somalia.…

Summary

Published
11 June 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident