American military intervention in Somalia (2007–present) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids American military intervention in Somalia
Part of War on Terror Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa during the Somali Civil War
MQ-9 Reaper drone, commonly used over Somalia by U.S. forces.
Date January 7, 2007 – ongoing Location Somalia Status Limited operations as of 2021
Belligerents
United States U.S. Army U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy U.S. Africa Command U.S. Special Operations Command In support of: AMISOM  Burundi  Djibouti (from 2011)  Ethiopia (from 2006)  Ghana  Kenya (from 2011, officially from 2012)  Nigeria (from 2010)  Sierra Leone (from 2013)  Uganda (until 2017)  Somalia	al-Shabaab Mujahideen Hizbul Islam (until 2009–10; 2012–14) Islamic State in Somalia
Commanders and leaders
Joe Biden (2021–present) Lapthe Flora (2020–present) Donald Trump (2017–2021) Barack Obama (2009–2017)	Ahmad Umar (Emir of al-Shabaab) Fuad Qalaf (former) Abu Mansur  Moktar Ali Zubeyr  † Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki  Mohamed Said Atom  Ibrahim Haji Jama Mee'aad   Hassan Dahir Aweys   Omar Iman (former) Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki  † Abu Musa Mombasa (former) Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan  † Fazul Abdullah Mohammed  † Sheikh Abdul Qadir Mumin (leader of ISS) Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (ISIL caliph from 2019) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi  † (ISIL caliph until 2019) Mahad Maalin  † (ISS deputy) Abdihakim Mohamed Ibrahim ("Dhoqob")  † (ISS deputy)
Strength
600 personnel (Sept. 2020)	Al-Shabaab: 7,000–9,000 fighters (Dec 2017)
Casualties and losses
2 service members killed 1 CIA paramilitary officer killed	575+ killed (2017–18) 116 militants killed (2019) (per AFRICOM) 1,372–1,670 militants killed (per New America) 1,185–1,313 militants killed (per The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)
34–113 civilians killed (per New America) 12–97 civilians killed (per The Bureau of Investigative Journalism) 22 Galmudug soldiers mistakenly killed

Since the late 2000s, the U.S. Military has been helping the Federal Government of Somalia. This help is part of the larger Global War on Terror, which started after the September 11th attacks. The U.S. provides support mainly through drone and airstrikes, advice, training, and sharing information.

This support grew a lot during the Obama administration and Trump administration. Hundreds of drone strikes have targeted a group called al-Shabaab. A few U.S. service members have died during these operations in Somalia.

In late 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that most U.S. troops would leave Somalia by January 15, 2021. The U.S. Military confirmed this withdrawal was finished on January 17, 2021. However, training for allied forces, some airstrikes, and special operations still continue. In May 2022, President Joe Biden agreed to send U.S. soldiers back to Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab.

U.S. Military Actions in Somalia

Since 2007, the U.S. military has focused on groups like Al-Shabaab in Somalia. They use airstrikes, which include drone strikes and missiles fired from Navy ships. They also conduct special forces raids and offer advice. The number of airstrikes greatly increased under the Trump administration, also targeting the Islamic State.

Some experts, like Robert Moore, believe military force should be used to help people in conflicts where many lives are at risk. This idea, called "Responsibility to Protect (R2P)," might be a reason for the U.S. to get involved in Somalia.

Timeline of U.S. Operations

2007: Early Strikes Begin

In 2007, U.S. forces carried out three strikes in Somalia.

• January 7: A U.S. Air Force AC-130 plane targeted a suspected al-Qaeda group. This strike killed several fighters linked to the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
• January 9: An AC-130 targeted towns near Ras Kamboni, aiming for a training camp and al-Qaeda members.
• January 23: Another AC-130 strike targeted the town of Waldena.
• June 1: The USS Chafee fired rounds near Bargal on the coast. This was aimed at militants who had landed there and were firing on local forces.

2008: Targeting Leaders

• March 3: U.S. missiles hit Dhobley, targeting leaders like Hassan Turki and al-Qaeda member Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan.
• May 1: U.S. Navy missiles struck a compound in Dhusamareb, killing senior al-Shabaab leader Aden Hashi Ayro and other fighters.

2009: Key Raid

• September 14: In an operation called Operation Celestial Balance, U.S. commandos launched a helicopter raid near Barawa. They killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan after tracking his group.

2011: First Drone Strikes

• April 3–6: An airstrike in Dhobley killed al-Qaeda commander Jabreel Malik Muhammed.
• June 23: The first reported deadly drone strike in Somalia hit a training camp south of Kismayo.
• July–October: U.S. drones and aircraft continued to target al-Shabaab training camps and militants in various locations like Afmadow and Kismayo.

2012: More Drone Strikes

• January 21: A drone strike killed British-Lebanese militant Bilal al-Berjawi outside Mogadishu.
• February 24: Another drone strike killed seven militants in Lower Shabelle.
• August 23: U.S. airstrikes were reported in Qandala.

2013-2015: Increased Activity

• October 28, 2013: A drone attack killed two Islamists, including a senior al-Shabaab leader.
• September 1, 2014: U.S. drones and aircraft targeted al-Shabaab, killing their leader Ahmed Abdi Godane.
• December 29, 2014: A drone strike killed Abdishakur, al-Shabaab's intelligence chief.
• January 31, 2015: Many al-Shabaab members were reported killed in a drone strike in Lower Shabelle.
• March 12, 2015: Adan Garaar, a senior al-Shabaab member, was killed in a drone strike.
• July–December 2015: More drone strikes targeted al-Shabaab bases and leaders.

2016: Many Airstrikes

The U.S. conducted 15 airstrikes in Somalia during 2016.

• March 5: A large U.S. airstrike involving many aircraft hit a training camp near Raso. It killed about 150 al-Shabaab militants who were gathering for an attack.
• March–September: Other strikes targeted vehicles, camps, and militants.
• September 28: U.S. aircraft mistakenly targeted local militia members in Puntland, killing at least 22 Galmudug soldiers. This led to protests.

2017: More Strikes and First Combat Death

The U.S. conducted 35 airstrikes in Somalia during 2017.

• May 5: A U.S. Navy Seal was killed during a raid in Barii. This was the first time a U.S. service member died in combat in Somalia since 1993.
• June–December: Many airstrikes continued to target al-Shabaab militants across Somalia.
• November 3: The U.S. targeted the Islamic State in Somalia for the first time, killing up to 20 fighters in Puntland.
• November 21: An airstrike on an al-Shabaab training camp killed over 100 militants.

2018: Increased Strikes

U.S. forces conducted 47 airstrikes in Somalia during 2018.

• January–December: Strikes continued against al-Shabaab militants in various locations.
• April 1: An airstrike near El Burr killed four al-Shabaab militants and two civilians. This was the first time the U.S. Military admitted civilian deaths in Somalia.
• June 8: One U.S. soldier was killed and four wounded in an al-Shabaab mortar attack.
• October 12: An airstrike in Harardere killed about 60 al-Shabaab militants, making it one of the largest strikes.

2019: Record Number of Strikes

U.S. forces conducted over 60 airstrikes in Somalia during 2019.

• January 19: An airstrike targeted a large group of al-Shabaab fighters attacking Somali National Army troops near Jilib, killing 52 militants.
• January–December: Strikes continued frequently against al-Shabaab and Islamic militants.
• April 14: An airstrike killed Abdulhakim Dhuqub, a high-ranking ISIS-Somalia official.
• December 30: Airstrikes followed the December 2019 Mogadishu bombing, killing four al-Shabaab militants and destroying vehicles.

2020: Troop Withdrawal Begins

As of April 2020, U.S. forces conducted 32 airstrikes in Somalia.

• February: A U.S. airstrike killed Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, an al-Shabaab military commander. Another strike mistakenly killed a civilian.
• March: An airstrike near Janaale killed five terrorists, but some reports from residents and a Somali Parliament member indicated civilian deaths.
• April: Airstrikes killed a senior leader, Yusuf Jiis, and other al-Shabaab members.
• August: A U.S. drone strike killed a high-ranking al-Shabaab member.
• September: A U.S. Military advisor was injured and three Somali special forces were killed in an al-Shabaab attack.
• December: President Donald Trump ordered most of the 700 U.S. military troops to leave Somalia.

U.S. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Baledogle Airfield during Operation Octave Quartz, the operation to disperse U.S. forces across East Africa by the Trump administration, 22 December 2020

2021: Withdrawal and Redeployment

• January 17: U.S. Africa Command confirmed the completion of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Somalia.
• January 19: Airstrikes killed three al-Shabaab militants.
• July 20: The U.S. carried out its first airstrike in Somalia under the Biden administration near Galkayo.
• July–August: More airstrikes targeted al-Shabaab militants who were fighting Somali forces.

2022: Troops Return

• February 23 and 24: U.S. Africa Command conducted airstrikes against al-Shabaab terrorists after they attacked Somali forces.
• May 17: President Biden approved sending U.S. troops back to Somalia, with "under 500" troops expected to return.