A US airstrike in Somalia’s Jamaame town has been described as the deadliest American operation for civilian casualties in nearly 18 years, and the worst since the 1993 Black Hawk Down incident, after an alleged strike killed at least 12 people, including eight children, according to an investigation.
MOGADISHU (Somali Report) — A major investigation by UK's The Guardian has alleged that a United States airstrike in southern Somalia killed at least 12 civilians, including eight children, during an operation in the town of Jamaame in November 2025.
The attack represents one of the deadliest incidents involving civilian casualties linked to US military operations in Somalia in recent years.
Multiple residential homes and a Qur'anic school in Jamaame, Lower Juba region, were struck during a series of airstrikes on 15 November 2025. Witnesses described scenes of devastation, with women and children among those killed and injured.
Among the families highlighted was that of Abdullahi Mohamed Abo Sheikh Ali, who reportedly lost his wife and four children in the attack. The victims included children aged between four and ten years old. Other residents stated that additional families were killed or wounded as missiles struck homes and civilian areas.
At least 18 homes were damaged or destroyed and that local residents counted numerous explosions over several hours.
The US military's Africa Command (AFRICOM) acknowledged conducting airstrikes in the Jamaame area on the day of the incident. However, US officials have not publicly acknowledged civilian casualties resulting from the operation.
AFRICOM said the strikes were carried out against al-Shabaab and were intended to reduce the militant group's ability to threaten US interests and partners.
Residents disputed claims that al-Shabaab fighters were present in the affected neighbourhoods at the time of the strikes. Witnesses told that the areas hit were populated by families, farmers, women and children.
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The investigation raises questions about US counterterrorism operations in Somalia, particularly following changes introduced during President Donald Trump's second administration. Restrictions that previously required higher-level approval for certain drone strikes were eased, contributing to a significant increase in US air operations across Somalia.
Conflict monitoring organization ACLED recorded more than 120 US airstrikes in Somalia during 2025. The pace of operations has continued into 2026.
A seven-year-old Abdiqadir Salah, has survived the Jamaame strike but remains injured by shrapnel embedded in his body. Doctors warned the child could face long-term mobility problems unless he undergoes surgery that his family cannot afford.
His mother, Marian Haji Abdi Guled, told The Guardian that three of her children were wounded during the attack. She said the family later travelled to Mogadishu seeking medical treatment after local facilities were unable to provide the care required.
The families affected by the strike have not received compensation and say they have not been contacted by either US authorities or the Somali government regarding the incident.
US officials declined to answer questions regarding the attack, including questions about civilian casualty assessments, the identities of intended targets, and the intelligence used to authorize the operation. Somali Report has also reached out officials from Somalia government who declined to comment the attack saying it is very sensitive matter.
The findings are likely to intensify debate over transparency and accountability in foreign military operations conducted in Somalia, where drone strikes remain a central element of efforts to combat al-Shabaab.
Neither AFRICOM nor the US government has publicly accepted responsibility for civilian deaths in the Jamaame incident. However, evidence gathered from witness testimony, medical records, photographs and video footage points to significant civilian casualties, including the deaths of numerous children.
About the Author
Mohamed Farah is a senior editor at Somali Report, based in London, covering geopolitics, trade, business, and security across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
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