MOGADISHU, Somalia – Residents in the village of Jambaluul in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region said they were hit by what they described as “airstrikes” late on Tuesday, leaving scores of civilians injured, Arlaadi Media Network (AMN) reports.
Witnesses told AMN that women and children were among those affected, and that several of the injured were transported to hospitals in Mogadishu for treatment. Neighboring communities, including Dhajalaq and Buulo-Xaartoy, were also reportedly hit.
Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said its forces conducted a raid in Jambaluul on the same night, killing 12 Al-Shabab fighters. Government-linked media reported that the operation targeted militant bunkers and escalated into a heavy firefight, “during which mortars were fired that may have caused civilian harm”. Two security personnel were also reportedly injured.
Former Somali lawmaker Prof. Mohamed Omar Dhalha expressed concern over the reported civilian casualties, calling for a transparent investigation and urging accountability for any flawed intelligence that may have contributed to the incident. He said preliminary reports suggested more than 15 civilians were killed and over 40 injured.
Amnesty International and other human rights groups have previously raised concerns about civilian casualties in Somalia’s conflict zones, warning that strikes targeting Al-Shabab often put local populations at risk.
The organization has urged both Somali authorities and international actors conducting operations in the country to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law and to ensure independent investigations into any reports of civilian harm.
There is currently no independent confirmation of the reported drone activity or the number of casualties. Jambaluul lies roughly seven kilometres from Afgoye, a strategic town west of the Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
Previous reports in the same region, including drone strikes in March 2024, also allegedly killed civilians, but no party claimed responsibility, and independent verification was lacking.
Nevertheless, Lower Shabelle has long been a flashpoint in Somalia’s ongoing conflict, with both Al-Shabab militants and Somali security forces frequently clashing in and around populated villages, leaving local communities vulnerable to violence.
