U.S. Denies Involvement in Somalia Army Drone Strike Resulting in Civilian Casualties

In a recent incident in central Somalia, a drone strike reportedly claimed the lives of seven civilians, including five children and a grandmother, as Al-Shabaab members purportedly sought shelter within a residential compound, as reported by local elders.

The Ministry of Information of Somalia has officially confirmed the elimination of senior Al-Shabaab figures in a collaborative security operation conducted in the Galgadud region’s west El-Lahelay area. However, the government has not disclosed the identity of the international partner that provided support for this operation.

In response to these developments, the United States’ military command in Africa, AFRICOM, has issued a statement affirming that the Somalia national forces led a counter-terrorism mission in close proximity to El-Lahelay. This operation resulted in the demise of three Al-Shabaab leaders.

AFRICOM clarified that U.S. forces were not physically present during the operation and did not engage in any airstrikes either during or in support of the mission.

Meanwhile, the federal government of Somalia has accused Al-Shabaab of causing civilian casualties through the use of an improvised explosive device (IED), an allegation that the group has yet to respond to.