In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia on May 6,  2026.The airstrikes occurred in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains, about 75 km southeast of Bossaso.AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to threaten the U.S. Homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad.Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security.

On May 29, 2026, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that it had conducted 63 strikes in Somalia in 2026 to date in a reply to a query from New America’s Future Security Program. AFRICOM’s tally of 63 strikes is notable, as on May 27, Somali Guardian published a report regarding an airstrike on May 21 that allegedly killed four civilians near the town of Qandala in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region. The report did not directly allege U.S. responsibility, and noted the challenge of attribution as multiple countries have been conducting air strikes in Somalia. AFRICOM’s tally of 63 strikes to date, functions as a denial that it conducted the May 21st strike because AFRICOM has already provided details on 63 strikes conducted prior to May 21. In addition, AFRICOM separately told New America that it did not conduct a strike in the reported vicinity of the May 21 strike. The tally is also notable, as it may signal a slow-down in the pace of U.S. strikes in Somalia. The last declared U.S. strike occurred on May 6, 2026 when, according to an AFRICOM press release, the United States conducted a strike against ISIS-Somalia “in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains, about 75 km southeast of Bossaso.” By New America’s tally, that was the 63rd strike declared by AFRICOM in 2026. If that was indeed the last strike to date, it would mean the United States has only conducted two strikes in May 2026 with only days left until the end of the month. This is a substantial shift, as by New America’s tally, AFRICOM declared 12 strikes in April, seven in March, 16 in February, and 26 in January. New America has tracked 64 alleged U.S. strikes in Somalia in 2026, one more than AFRICOM’s tally. The difference between New America’s count of 64 strikes and AFRICOM’s count of 63 strikes is the result of reports of an alleged U.S. strike on or around April 22 in the Cal-Miskaat mountains that AFRICOM denies conducting. On April 22, the Puntland Counter-Terrorism Operation Telegram channel published photos of bodies, and referred to American participation in the bombing of a cave housing ISIS fighters. AFRICOM told New America that it did not conduct a strike in the referenced location. Monitoring the U.S. counterterrorism war in Somalia requires close tracking of U.S. strikes. New America’s database provides detailed information on confirmed and alleged strikes across more than two decades.

Elevated AFRICOM Mogadishu · Somalia · Horn of Africa May 7, 2026 at 6:24 PM UTC SOMALIA — U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia on May 6, in the Golis Mountains, about 75 km (47 miles) southeast of Bossaso, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces. The strike followed an identical operation on May 4, 2026, in the identical Golis Mountains location southeast of Bossaso, the same location as reported in the most recent strike. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs released the details on May 7, noting that specific information on units and assets involved remains classified to protect ongoing operations security. The May 6 strike continues a pattern of repeated AFRICOM strikes in the Golis Mountains vicinity that began in February and included additional operations in March and April. Each AFRICOM statement has emphasized coordination with Somali authorities and the objective of degrading ISIS-Somalia’s ability to threaten the U.S. homeland, U.S. forces, and citizens abroad. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs stated that the strike targeted ISIS-Somalia positions. The command noted that the action continues efforts to degrade the group’s capacity to threaten the U.S. homeland, forces, and citizens abroad. U.S. Africa Command, May 7, 2026: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia on May 6, 2026. The airstrikes occurred in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains, about 75 km southeast of Bossaso. AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to threaten the U.S. Homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad. Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security.” Understanding Global Threats Nuclear War Calculators & Tools DEFCON System Browse All Topics & Pages Complete sitemap with all intelligence resources View Sitemap → Live snapshot of conflict locations and tension zones worldwide. Last update on: September 1, 2026 Open Conflict Map Page → Go deeper with the data Guides, timelines, and calculators to help you understand today's risks. Related Alerts Cargo Vessel Boarded and Controlled 4 NM South of Mareeyo, Somalia MAREEYO, SOMALIA - UK Maritime Trade Operations received a report at 11:36 AM UTC on August 17 from the company security officer of a cargo vessel stating that eight armed unauthorized persons boarded the ship and took control of it 4 nautical miles south of Mareeyo, Somalia. Read Full Alert → AFRICOM Conducts Airstrike Targeting al-Shabaab Near Jamaame SOMALIA - U.S. Africa Command announced on August 3 that it conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab on July 30 in the vicinity of Jamaame, approximately 36 miles (58 km) northeast of Kismayo, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia. Read Full Alert → U.S. Africa Command Strikes al-Shabaab Near Welmaro in Seventh July Operation SOMALIA - U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab on July 15 in the vicinity of Welmaro, approximately 62 miles (100 km) north of Kismayo. The command released the statement on July 20. Read Full Alert → U.S. Africa Command Conducts Airstrikes Targeting al-Shabaab in Somalia; Danab Special Forces Carry Out Ground Operation in Lower Juba SOMALIA - On July 10, a day after Danab special forces of the Somali National Army, working with Jubbaland Security Forces, overran al-Shabaab positions in the Baqdaad area near Badhaadhe in Lower Juba, U.S. Africa Command released a statement disclosing an airstrike it had carried out against the group on July 8. The command had conducted four such strikes between July 3 and July 8. Read Full Alert → Keep Exploring

Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — The United States has carried out a rapid series of airstrikes against Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia, ending a month-long lull in its declared campaign against jihadist groups and underscoring Washington’s growing military tempo in the Horn of Africa. US Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, announced strikes on five days between June 14 and 19, all carried out in coordination with Somalia’s federal government and targeting the Al-Qaeda-linked group. The strikes hit Kurtunwaarey, around 117 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu, on June 14; the Route 109 area, about 73 kilometres northwest of Kismayo airport, on June 15 and 16; Lower Juba, around 76 kilometres northwest of Kismayo, on June 18; and Welmaro, about 103 kilometres north of Kismayo, on June 19. “AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade Al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten US forces and our citizens abroad,” the command said in near-identical statements. “Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security,” it added. The command did not release casualty figures for the June strikes, which came after no publicly declared US air operation in Somalia since a May 6 strike against the Islamic State group’s Somalia branch in the Golis mountains, southeast of Bossaso. ‘Data driven’ AFRICOM denied that the gap amounted to an operational pause. “Our strike engagements are data-driven and results-oriented,” the command told Stars and Stripes. “We focus on maximizing every opportunity we have in our counterterrorism efforts.” It said the strikes aimed to support Somali forces, who still rely heavily on foreign partners for air power, intelligence and specialist training. “Somalia continued its efforts against terrorist elements in their country and was able to eliminate senior (Al-Shabaab) leadership,” AFRICOM said. Somali officials told Somalia Today that the June operations included ground action by Somali forces, including Danab commandos, the US-trained special operations unit, and Jubaland troops. The Somali government said Danab forces killed 14 Al-Shabaab fighters in Kurtunwaarey, while local accounts from the area reported civilian casualties and conflicting claims from both sides. The figures could not be independently verified. Al-Shabaab routinely disputes official casualty claims and says government operations cause civilian harm, while Somali authorities accuse the group of using civilian areas to shield fighters and plan attacks. The latest attacks bring AFRICOM’s declared strike count in Somalia this year to 68, targeting both Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State affiliate, according to US officials. That puts the 2026 campaign on a record pace, with roughly 125 strikes in 2025, when the Trump administration sharply expanded air operations after a quieter period under President Joe Biden. The previous AFRICOM high was 63 strikes in 2019. The surge followed a directive from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that gave AFRICOM commanders broader authority to approve strikes, according to US military reporting. Announcing early 2025 strikes against ISIS-Somalia, Hegseth said Washington “always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies”. Scrutiny The expanding campaign has drawn renewed scrutiny over transparency and civilian harm. Rights groups and conflict monitors have long criticised AFRICOM for releasing only limited information on targets and casualties. A Guardian investigation this month alleged civilians, including children, died in a November 2025 US strike in Jamaame, an account US officials have not publicly accepted. “If the objective is to destroy Al-Shabaab, it’s pretty clear that they are not particularly effective,” David Sterman, an analyst at the New America think tank, told the newspaper. US officials say the strikes form part of a wider effort to prevent Al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia from threatening Americans, Somali forces and regional partners. Al-Shabaab has fought Somalia’s internationally backed government for nearly two decades and remains one of Al-Qaeda’s most resilient affiliates, controlling or influencing rural areas in the south and centre and carrying out bombings, assassinations and complex assaults. The group has also attacked US-linked targets, including the 2020 raid on the Manda Bay area in Kenya that killed three Americans. Washington has meanwhile reinforced its regional posture. The United States began a $70 million upgrade this year at Manda Bay airfield, a Kenyan base used for Horn of Africa operations. The US special operations task force in Somalia is also seeking cultural and political advisers to help troops navigate “local customs, history, cultural routines, tribal dynamics”. But analysts say airstrikes alone are unlikely to defeat Al-Shabaab unless Somali forces can hold territory they have recovered and resolve political rifts between Mogadishu and federal member states, including Jubaland, where much of the latest fighting has unfolded. Ayaan Abdullahi Ayaan Abdullahi covers politics and security for Somalia Today. She is a Mogadishu-based journalist with over five years of experience.