The human cost of surging US air strikes in Somalia
Summary
A US air strike in southern Somalia in November 2025 injured a boy named Abdiqadir Salah and affected several families. The US Africa Command says their review found no strong proof that their strikes caused civilian deaths or damage, but families and independent monitors report casualties and destruction during the offensive.Key Facts
- The air strike happened in November 2025 near Jamaame, in Somalia’s southern Jubaland state.
- Abdiqadir Salah was seven years old when injured by shrapnel that remains in his body.
- His mother, Maryam Haji Abdi Guled, now personally cares for him due to his injuries.
- The US military acknowledges strikes on November 14 and 15, 2025, but denies causing civilian harm.
- United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) says its review did not confirm that US strikes more likely than not caused reported civilian casualties.
- Families interviewed describe deaths, injuries, displacement, and loss of homes during the offensive.
- Independent groups recorded about 84-88 strikes by the US in Somalia through September 2026, showing a rise in air operations under President Donald Trump.
- AFRICOM’s investigation might be reopened if new information appears, but it did not confirm whether it interviewed victims or witnesses.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
