Civilian Casualty Archive

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492 incidents

Incident Date

12 March 2015

Incident Code

USSOM038

Location

Abaq Xaluul, Bay, Somalia
A US Special Forces drone strike allegedly killed Adan Garaar, a senior member of al Shabaab, according to the Pentagon and Somali and Kenyan officials. The attack reportedly destroyed one or two vehicles in southwestern Somalia, killing two other alleged members of the group. There are currently no reports of civilian harm from this strike.…

Summary

Published
12 March 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

10 March 2015

Incident Code

USSOM037

Location

Tortoroow (and Ambereso), Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A single news source reported that “unidentified armed drones” targeted two alleged al Shabaab camps. Witnesses said the attacks hit camps in the towns of Torato and Ambereso. The regional governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur confirmed the strikes but said the death toll had not been confirmed, although the terror group had sustained "human and material…

Summary

Published
10 March 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

2 February 2015

Incident Code

USSOM036

Location

Diinsoor, Bay, Somalia
According to a Freedom of Information response obtained by journalist Joshua Eaton in  May 2019, this previously unknown US strike took place in Dinsoor, Somalia against an "al-Shabaab Named Objective". It should be noted however that the last known declared US strike in Dinsoor prior to February 2nd 2015 was on January 31st 2015. There…

Summary

Published
2 February 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

31 January 2015

Incident Code

USSOM035-C

Location

Diinsoor, Bay, Somalia
At least four civilian casualties were reported injured or killed in a confirmed US attack on Dinsooor, though it was not clear if they were injured or killed. JSOC had targeted and killed Yusef Dheeqm, al Shabaab’s head of external operations in the drone strike. Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed in two separate Pentagon press conferences…

Summary

Published
31 January 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
0–4
Civilians reported injured
4
Military actors reported killed
2–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

31 January 2015

Incident Code

USSOM034-C

Location

Dugule, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A mystery airstrike reportedly killed between 40 and 60 alleged belligerents on January 31st 2015. Xinhua also reported that "scores of others were injured" in the attack, leaving it unclear whether those injured were civilians or militants. It was described by some as a US drone strike - thought the Pentagon denied this. Abdulkadir Mohamed…

Summary

Published
31 January 2015
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported injured
0–5
Military actors reported killed
40–60
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

29 December 2014

Incident Code

USSOM033

Location

سااكوو, Saakow, Middle Juba, Somalia
Up to three senior members of al Shabaab were killed by a US military drone in Saakow, Middle Juba, international media reported. There were no known reports of associated civilian harm. The US military said that an airstrike had targeted a “senior leader” of the al Shabaab militant group. Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency later…

Summary

Published
29 December 2014
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1 September 2014

Incident Code

USSOM032

Location

Sablaale, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
In this strike in Barawe, Lower Shabelle, up to six al Shabaab militants were killed, including the the group’s leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane (aka Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr or Ahmed Abdi Aw Mohamed), international and local media reported. There were no reports of civilian harm. The strike was the first known US attack in Somalia for some…

Summary

Published
1 September 2014
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1–6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 June 2014

Incident Code

SOM019b

Location

Kuday, Lower Juba, Somalia
At least eight civilians were killed and as many as eight were wounded when fighter jets attacked the Somali village of Kudah, 160 kilometres southwest of Kismayo, a woman who had fled the village following the attack told the Kenyan group Journalists for Justice. According to the NGO: "Kudah, June 23, 2014. An elderly woman…

Summary

Published
23 June 2014
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
8
Civilians reported injured
8
Military actors reported killed
50
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
View Incident

Incident Date

1–30 June, 2014

Incident Code

USSOM031-C

Location

Farigow, 3 km west of Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia
Between one and five civilians, including women and children, were killed as the Farigow leper colony near Jilib, Middle Jubba was struck by unknown warplanes, international media reported. A woman living near the settlement told the Kenyan group Journalists for Justice that the colony was struck by jets by "mid 2014", killing one person and…

Summary

Published
20 May 2014
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1–5
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

26 January 2014

Incident Code

USSOM030-C

Location

Haway, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Two civilian children were reported killed and their father severely injured when a US military drone strike attack seemingly directed at nine al Shabaab members struck Hawai, Lower Shabelle, international and local media reported. The strike was said to have targeted and failed to kill Ahmed Abdi Godane. While there initially were no reports of…

Summary

Published
26 January 2014
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
1
Military actors reported killed
1–9
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1–30 November, 2013

Incident Code

USSOM029-C

Location

جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia
Five children from a single family were killed in the town of Jilib, in Somalia’s Middle Juba region, when their house was razed by aerial bombardment from an unknown belligerent (possibly Kenya), according to residents interviewed by the group Journalists for Justice. According to the report, "A third set of strikes took place a few…

Summary

Published
1 November 2013
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
5
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

28 October 2013

Incident Code

USSOM028

Location

Dhaytubako, Middle Juba, Somalia
At least two people, both reportedly al-Shabaab affiliated, were killed in a US drone strike on a vehicle in Jilib, Middle Juba region, international media reported. As of now, there are no reports about civilian harm. Senior al Shabaab commander Ibrahim Ali Abdi (aka Anta Anta) was killed in the attack, according to Abu Mohamed,…

Summary

Published
28 October 2013
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

5 October 2013

Incident Code

USSOM027

Location

Baraawe, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
At least one and as many as seven al Shabaab militants were killed in a naval raid carried out by US forces in Barawe, Lower Shabelle, international media reported. There were no reports of civilian harm. It was not at first clear who was the target of the raid. Reports varied from an unnamed Chechen;…

Summary

Published
5 October 2013
Strike Type
Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Military actors reported killed
1–7
Causes of Death / Injury
Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
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Incident Date

1–30 June, 2013

Incident Code

USSOM026-C

Location

جيليب, Jilib, Middle Juba, Somalia
Drones and helicopters reportedly attacked outside the town of Jilib, in Somalia’s Middle Juba region, killing three people and seriously wounding seven, according to locals interviewed by the Kenyan group Journalists for Justice. Of the three people killed, two were women and one an elderly man, and of those wounded, three were reportedly children. As…

Summary

Published
1 June 2013
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
7
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

1–31 March, 2013

Incident Code

USSOM025-C

Location

Kol, near Bula Xawa, Gedo, Somalia
Two airstrikes by an unknown belligerent hit the nomadic settlement of Kol, near the city of Bulla-Xama, in southwestern Somalia’s Gedo region, killing a mother and her two children and injuring five others, a young man who fled the settlement following the strike told the Kenyan group Journalists for Justice. According to a report, Black…

Summary

Published
1 March 2013
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
3
Civilians reported injured
5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

12 January 2013

Incident Code

SOM016a-1

Location

Bulo Marer, Somalia
French commandos failed to a rescue a French spy held hostage by al Shabaab since 2009. Paris claimed the militants executed the captured secret service agent, known by his alias Denis Allex, during an assault by 50 Special Forces troops. However al Shabaab’s media wing said the hostage survived. Seventeen alleged militants were reportedly killed…

Summary

Published
12 January 2013
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
8
Military actors reported killed
17
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

23 August 2012

Incident Code

USSOM024

Location

Mountains near Qandala, Bari, Somalia
Air strikes ‘reportedly from international forces’ targeted ‘a mountainous area near town of Qandala’ according to Garowe Online. However All Africa said that "Air strikes reportedly from a US military aircraft or naval ship on the coastal town of Qandala caused damage to many buildings in the town." All Africa and Garowe Online said it…

Summary

Published
23 August 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

15 May 2012

Incident Code

SOM016-1

Location

Near Haradheere, Somalia
The European Union (EU) launched attack helicopter and "maritime aircraft" strikes on an alleged pirate base near Haradheere. Stating that there had been no EU "boots on the ground", reports indicated that helicopters from the EU’s Naval Force (NAVFOR) had destroyed nine speedboats, an arms dump and fuel supplies in a night-time raid. Bile Hussein,…

Summary

Published
15 May 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike, Counter-Terrorism Action (Ground)
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions, Small arms and light weapons
Military Actor
EU Military
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Incident Date

17 April 2012

Incident Code

USSOM023-C

Location

Gumah, Bari, Somalia
"Unknown military jets fired several missiles" at a suspected Somali pirate base in the northern autonomous region of Puntland a coastguard official told AFP. The target was the village of Gumah, described as being between Hafun and Bargal towns and some 220 kilometres (140 miles) east of Bossaso, the main port of Somalia's breakaway Puntland…

Summary

Published
17 April 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
EU Military, U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

24 February 2012

Incident Code

USSOM022-C

Location

K60, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
One civilian man was possibly killed as a US drone struck and killed up to seven members of al-Shabaab at Kilometre 60 or K60, in Lower Shabelle, 60km south west of Mogadishu on the road to Marka/ Mercer, international media reported. The action came hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had told a…

Summary

Published
24 February 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
1
Military actors reported killed
4–7
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 January 2012

Incident Code

USSOM020

Location

Elasha Biyaha, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
A British al Shabaab fighter, Bilal al-Berjawi, was killed by a US drone strike in or near the town of Elasha Biyaha, 15km south of Mogadishu, local and international media reported. There were no reports of civilian harm. Three missiles fired from a drone operated by JSOC killed British-Lebanese militant Bilal al-Berjawi, also known as…

Summary

Published
21 January 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

21 January 2012

Incident Code

USSOM021-C

Location

Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
In this single-source claim, six people were allegedly killed as an airstrike carried out by US or Kenyan forces, struck near the al Shabaab stronghold of Kismayo, Sheikh Mohamud Abdi, a senior al-Shabaab commander, claimed to Reuters. It is not known whether the strike was by US or Kenyan forces. Kenya sent troops into Somalia…

Summary

Published
21 January 2012
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
0–6
Military actors reported killed
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

14 November 2011

Incident Code

USSOM019

Location

Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Two al Shabaab leaders were possibly killed in an alleged US or French-launched air or drone strike in Afgoye, Lower Shabelle, local and international media reported. No sources reported civilian harm. Missiles were fired at a training camp in Afgoye, Lower Shabelle, according to al Shabaab. An initial report from the Suna Times stated: "US…

Summary

Published
14 November 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
0–2
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

30 October 2011

Incident Code

SOM012e

Location

Jilib, Somalia
October 30, 2011 ♦ 5-15 killed ♦ 5 civilians reported killed, including 3 children ♦ 45-47 reported wounded A refugee camp for those displaced by the severe drought was hit in a Kenyan air strike. Aid agency Medecin Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported the strike hit at around 1.30pm. The agency’s employees witnessed the strike on…

Summary

Published
30 October 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike
View Incident

Incident Date

23 October 2011

Incident Code

USSOM018

Location

Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
At least one al Shabaab militant was reportedly killed as Shabaab positions in Kismayo, Jubaland, were subject to aerial shelling, international and local media reported. There was disagreement about whether the US, France or Kenya were to blame A local resident told Reuters: "A jet bombarded an al Shabaab base near the port. It dropped…

Summary

Published
23 October 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Military actors reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

22 October 2011

Incident Code

USSOM017-C

Location

Afmadow, Lower Juba, Somalia
In this single-source claim, Somalia Report reported that at least 11 civilians died and more than 20 others were wounded after a possible US drone attacked Afmadow town in Lower Juba region. An eye witness, Mohamud Abdirahman, told Somalia Report: "I have seen 11 bodies and we believe that it was a US airstrike." Locals…

Summary

Published
22 October 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
11
Civilians reported injured
20
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

13 October 2011

Incident Code

USSOM016-C

Location

10 km east of Taabta, Lower Juba, Somalia
In this single-source allegation, civilians were reported as possibly harmed following attacks on an al Shabaab base near Taabta village, Lower Juba, Somalia Report reported. It was not clear who was behind the actions. Somalia Report reported that drones had targeted an al-Shabaab base used to train new fighters. Its source cited TFG military official…

Summary

Published
13 October 2011
Civilians reported killed
0–2
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

6 October 2011

Incident Code

USSOM015-C

Location

Dolbiyow, 35 kilometers east of Dhobley, Lower Juba, Somalia
Four Somali farmers were reported to have been killed in a possible drone strike in Dolbiyow Village, 35km east of Dhobley according to Somalia Report, while one was reportedly injured. The farmers and their camels were killed moments after al-Shabaab fighters fled the area in vehicles, witnesses said. However, a TFG official told Somalia Report…

Summary

Published
6 October 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

25 September 2011

Incident Code

USSOM014

Location

Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
The United States launched a series of drone attacks on al-Shabaab in Kismayo, according to residents, who reported strikes on three locations. The BBC reported that "At least three targets were hit around Kismayo, the southern port which is under the control of the militants. One reconnaissance drone is reported to have crashed... al-Shabaab are patrolling the…

Summary

Published
25 September 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident

Incident Date

15 September 2011

Incident Code

USSOM013-C

Location

Kismayo, Lower Juba, Somalia
A single source reported that nine civilians died in alleged US drone strikes on Kismayo. According to the source Antiwar.com, "Eyewitnesses in the southern Somali port city of Kismayo have reported a number of missile strikes, apparently fired by US drones in and around the city. Terrified residents say that several loud explosions were heard…

Summary

Published
15 September 2011
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike)
Civilians reported killed
9
Civilians reported injured
0–30
Military actors reported killed
5–30
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
U.S. Forces
View Incident