US Airstrikes on Somalia

Here is a detailed overview of airstrikes in Somalia for the year 2024, covering the key actors, targets, trends, and notable incidents. The primary Actor has been the United States, in support of the Federal Government of Somalia, remains the most active. The primary target has been the Al-Shabaab, the Islamist militant group affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The Somali government has begun conducting its own airstrikes using a small fleet of AT-29 Super Tucano aircraft, a capability they have been building towards. Airstrikes are a key component of a "clear and hold" strategy, often used to support Somali National Army (SNA) ground operations, eliminate high-value targets (HVTs), and disrupt Al-Shabaab command and logistics. ---The United States (US Africa Command - AFRICOM) The U.S. continues its long-standing campaign of counterterrorism airstrikes in Somalia, primarily through drones. Conducted under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). AFRICOM publishes press releases for most strikes, often several days after the fact, stating they occurred and reporting casualties if no civilians were harmed. 2024 Statistics and Trends (as of mid-2024): The pace of U.S. strikes has remained relatively high, consistent with the increased tempo seen since the Biden administration re-established a small, persistent troop presence in 2022. Strikes are frequently "self-defense" strikes in support of SNA partners who are in contact with Al-Shabaab forces. There is a continued emphasis on targeting Al-Shabaab leadership and key operatives. On March 10, 2024 the U.S. airstrike near Jilib killed Maalim Ayman, a senior Al-Shabaab leader responsible for planning the January 2020 attack on Camp Simba in Manda Bay, Kenya, which killed three U.S. personnel. This was a significant high-value target removal. And on May 2024 several strikes were reported in support of a major Somali military offensive in the Middle Shabelle region, targeting Al-Shabaab fighters attacking SNA troops. On November 14-15, 2025, U.S. forces targeted al-Shabaab near Kismayo. In July, a U.S. airstrike targeted ISIS-Somalia southeast of Bossaso, Puntland. Notable earlier incidents include mass-casualty strikes: 31 al-Shabaab militants killed in Lower Juba on January 1, and 35 ISIS militants in Puntland in March.During the 2025 Shabelle offensive, Somali, Ethiopian, and UAE air forces coordinated strikes, at times killing dozens of militants in single operations. On March 21, Somali forces announced the killing of 82 al-Shabaab fighters in Sabiid and Aanole via six coordinated airstrikes. The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) does not conduct offensive airstrikes. Its mandate is primarily to provide ground support to the Somali government and secure key population centers. Any air operations they conduct are for transport, reconnaissance, or medical evacuation. But there are ther Actors like Turkey. Provides extensive military training and drones to Somalia. While there is no public confirmation of Turkish-operated combat airstrikes in 2024, they provide critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support that likely enables both U.S. and Somali strikes. And Kenya has conducted cross-border airstrikes in the past, primarily from its side of the border. There have been no major confirmed Kenyan airstrikes inside Somalia in 2024, but they remain a key security partner. This remains a highly contentious and critical issue. Both the U.S. and Somali governments state that they take extensive precautions to avoid civilian casualties and that their strikes are precise. Local media and international human rights organizations (like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch) frequently report civilian casualties from airstrikes, alleging that non-combatants, including farmers and pastoralists, have been killed. Most reported strikes in 2025 focused on militant strongholds and gatherings, and statements from U.S. AFRICOM have underscored efforts to avoid civilian casualties, although independent casualty verification is limited. High-profile militant leaders, including Jaafar Gurey, a Shabaab co-founder, were killed in precision airstrikes during the year. There is often a significant gap between official accounts (which claim all killed were militants) and local accounts (which claim civilians were among the dead). AFRICOM has a process for investigating civilian casualty allegations, but these investigations are often slow and their findings are disputed. Most airstrikes are not isolated events but are part of broader military operations by the Somali National Army. Strikes often target mid-level commanders, tax collectors, and judges to degrade the group's ability to govern and finance itself. Despite losses, Al-Shabaab remains a potent and resilient force, capable of launching complex attacks on military bases and hotels in the capital, Mogadishu. Airstrikes are one tool to keep pressure on the group. @https://www.government.nl/binaries/government/documenten/reports/2025/04/04/general-country-of-origin-information-report-on-somalia-april-2025/Country+of+Origin+Information+report+Somalia+2025.pdf @https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/2024-09/2023_10_EUAA_COI_Report_Syria_Security_Situation.pdf