The Dhusamareb airstrike took place on May 1, 2008, at around 3:00 am local time when an American plane dropped three large bombs on a house in the Dhuusamarreeb region in central Somalia. The attack was targeted against the Muslim militant group al-Shabaab.[1][2]
| Dhusamareb airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa | |
| Type | Aerial attack |
| Location | |
| Target | Islamic militants |
| Date | May 1, 2008 2:30AM (+3) |
| Executed by |  United States |
| Casualties | up to 40 killed 15 including 4 children injured |
The attack killed up to 30 people including civilians and two Islamist leaders, identified by al-Shabaab as Adan Ayrow and Sheikh Mohamed Muhyadin Omar.[3][4][5] Four others were injured.
Reactions
editBob Prucha, a US military spokesman, confirmed there was a US attack on a "known al-Qaeda target" and militia leader.[6]
Mukhtar Robow "Abu Mansur", a leader of al-Shabaab, said: "It is true that infidel planes bombed Dhusamareb. This was an unprovoked attack, Aden Hashi Eyrow and Sheikh Mohamed Muhyadin Omar are the most important Shabaab members who were victims of this foreign aggression... The death of Eyrow and Omar will not stop the struggle for the supremacy of Allah and the liberation of the holy land of Somalia. We will continue the struggle until the Somali people are free."[6]
Paul Salopek reported in the Chicago Tribune that jihadists had vowed to kill every foreigner in Somalia in response.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ . CNN https://web.archive.org/web/20080503203824/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/05/02/somalia.airstrike.ap/index.html. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Air raid kills Somali militants". BBC News. 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ France 24 | Eight killed in air strike on Somalia Islamists: residents | France 24[permanent dead link]
- ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey; Schmitt, Eric (2008-05-01). "U.S. airstrike kills top Qaeda agent in Somalia". The New York Times.
- ^ "AFP: US air strike kills Al-Qaeda leader in Somalia: Officials". Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- ^ a b "US bombing kills Somali fighters". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ Paul Salopek (2008-11-28). "U.S. appears to be losing its secret war in Somalia". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-11-30.