A US airstrike in southern Somalia that killed at least 12 civilians, including eight children, in November 2025 has raised renewed questions over the consequences of American military operations targeting armed groups in the country.

The strike took place in Jamaame, a town in Somalia’s Lower Juba region, on the morning of Nov. 15, according to accounts gathered from residents and reviewed evidence from the attack site. The United States has not publicly acknowledged civilian deaths from the operation.

Residents said the attack began shortly after 9 a.m. when aircraft were heard above the town. Witnesses described a series of explosions that struck residential areas and a religious school, leaving homes damaged or destroyed.The victims included children who had been returning from Qur’an school, families inside their homes, and a pregnant woman, according to relatives and witnesses.

The US military confirmed that it had conducted an operation against al-Shabaab, an armed group linked to al-Qaida that has carried out attacks in Somalia and neighbouring countries. The strike was part of a wider campaign of US air operations aimed at disrupting the group.Residents said the aircraft involved were likely drones.

The weaponry used in the attack was not publicly disclosed, but witnesses described repeated missile strikes consistent with the use of remotely piloted aircraft.At one home in Jamaame, relatives said the attack killed Safiyo Hassan Abukar, who was heavily pregnant, along with her children Abdifatah, 10, Abdinasir, 7, Hussein, 6, and Abdurahman, 4.Mohamed, the children’s grandfather, said he rushed to the scene after hearing explosions and found debris scattered around the destroyed house.

He said Abdifatah was often close to his mother and helped her with household tasks. He described Abdinasir as a child who regularly asked him to pray so he could memorise the Qur’an.Other residents reported similar losses.

Marian Haji Abdi Guled said her children were returning from Qur’an school when the attack occurred. She said the sound of aircraft overhead caused fear among residents before the strikes hit.According to Guled, her children were injured when missiles struck nearby.

She said the area became chaotic as residents attempted to move away from the attacks.Maryan Nur Buruji said her pregnant stepdaughter sought shelter at the Qur’an school with her two-year-old child. She said the school was later hit, killing the woman while the toddler survived.

Another resident, Mohamed Hassan Abdulle, said he returned to find his home destroyed and his wife, Farhiyo Hassan Nuur, and their 10-month-old daughter, Layla, dead.Farmers working outside the town also described receiving urgent calls from relatives as the attack unfolded.Gedow Ibrahim said he was working in his sesame fields when his wife called, warning him that drones were flying overhead.

He told her to remain inside, but later received another call saying their home had been hit.He said his daughters Maryan, 9, and Farhiyo, 7, were killed, while another child, Amin, 8, was injured by shrapnel.The attack also killed other residents, including a local imam, according to witnesses.

Residents said at least 15 explosions were heard and that numerous homes were damaged. Witnesses estimated that about 18 houses were destroyed, while the school was heavily damaged.The incident is among the deadliest reported civilian casualties from a US operation in Somalia in recent years.

Previous major incidents involving US forces in Somalia include the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, known as “Black Hawk Down,” which resulted in significant casualties during a failed US military mission.The strike occurred months after the start of the second Trump administration, during a period when US policy toward Somalia was being reassessed.

In early 2025, US defence officials held discussions with senior officers from US Africa Command, which oversees American military operations on the continent.A directive issued during that period changed procedures governing aspects of US military operations, according to reporting on the policy shift. The effect of those changes on individual operations was not publicly detailed.

US officials have repeatedly said American military action in Somalia is aimed at preventing attacks by al-Shabaab and reducing the group’s ability to operate. The group has controlled territory in parts of Somalia at various times and has carried out attacks against civilians, government forces, and international targets.

Human rights organisations have previously raised concerns about civilian harm from airstrikes in Somalia and other conflict zones, calling for greater transparency around targeting decisions and investigations into possible civilian casualties.The Jamaame strike has renewed scrutiny over the balance between counterterrorism operations and civilian protection in areas where armed groups operate among local populations.

For the families affected, the consequences remain centred on the loss of relatives who were inside homes, travelling from school, or working nearby when the strikes occurred.Abdullahi Mohamed Abo Sheikh Ali, whose family was killed, said he believed civilians had been caught in the attack.

“The Americans bombed us,” he said. “Children, women and elders were bombed. They spared nothing.”

Years of drought, recurring floods, armed conflict and shrinking humanitarian assistance have forced millions of Somalis into increasingly precarious conditions, with many displaced families now struggling to survive in overcrowded camps around the capital, Mogadishu.

Among them is 38-year-old Zeynab Ibrahim, a single mother who fled her hometown near Burhakaba in central Somalia after years of failed rains devastated local agriculture and pushed her family into extreme hardship.For three years, Ibrahim watched as drought tightened its grip on her community.

Reservoirs dried up, crops failed and food became increasingly scarce. Hunger and disease spread through the area, claiming numerous lives, including four of her 10 children.“We tried every means to survive – selling dried grass and digging up water from the barren earth.

Unfortunately, there was nothing left, so we had no choice but to escape to save our children,” Ibrahim said while sitting outside a makeshift shelter in an internally displaced persons camp in Mogadishu’s Kahda district.The journey to the capital came only after all other options had been exhausted.

Assisted by a truck driver transporting other displaced families from drought-stricken areas around Burhakaba, she joined the growing number of Somalis seeking refuge in the city.“So hunger is what brought us here,” she said.Ibrahim is one of more than one million displaced people now living in informal settlements across Mogadishu, where many families continue to face severe shortages of food, clean water and basic services despite escaping the immediate effects of drought in rural areas.

Before being displaced, her family relied entirely on farming for survival. Maize, beans, sesame and vegetables grown on their land provided both food and income. As rainfall disappeared, however, agricultural production collapsed.

“Our livelihoods depended on what we could grow on the ground, including maize, beans, sesame and vegetables. But the ground dried because there was no rain,” she said.Her experience reflects a broader pattern unfolding across Somalia, where communities increasingly face overlapping climate and security pressures.

Repeated droughts destroy crops and livestock, while floods that follow periods of extreme dryness often wash away fragile infrastructure and further undermine agricultural recovery.For many households, these environmental shocks occur against a backdrop of persistent conflict and insecurity, limiting opportunities to rebuild livelihoods or safely return home.

The result has been a growing displacement crisis that has reshaped communities across the country. Families forced from rural areas frequently arrive in urban centers with few possessions and limited means of earning an income, increasing their dependence on humanitarian support at a time when aid resources are under strain.

Adan Roble, another displaced Somali, said the combined effects of environmental disasters and insecurity have left many families struggling to meet even their most basic needs.“Imagine losing everything and trying to survive without food and clean water, while fighting continues and drones keep flying overhead,” Roble said.

Roble has experienced multiple climate-related disasters. Years of drought destroyed his crops and rendered his farmland unproductive, undermining the economic foundation on which his family depended.Stories such as those of Ibrahim and Roble illustrate the mounting challenges facing Somalia as climate-related shocks become more frequent and severe.

Rural communities that depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture are often among the most vulnerable, with prolonged dry periods quickly translating into crop failures, livestock losses and widespread food insecurity.For many displaced families, arriving in Mogadishu has provided safety from immediate environmental threats but not from poverty.

Conditions in many informal settlements remain difficult, with limited access to employment opportunities, healthcare, sanitation and reliable food supplies.As climate pressures, conflict and humanitarian constraints converge, displaced households continue to face uncertain futures.

Families that once relied on farming and livestock now find themselves dependent on irregular aid and struggling to rebuild their lives far from the land that once sustained them.

For Ibrahim, the move to Mogadishu was not a choice but a last resort after years of watching her community deteriorate. Although she escaped the drought that devastated her hometown, the daily struggle against hunger and deprivation continues in the camp she now calls home.

Gunfire echoed through several districts of the Somali capital, with smoke rising over residential areas after hours of sporadic battles. Police said they were conducting a large-scale security operation against heavily armed militias accused of launching mortar attacks on parts of the city.

The violence follows a deepening political crisis after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced an extension of his term beyond its scheduled May 15 expiry, a move rejected by opposition leaders and several regional authorities.

Former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused government forces of attacking his convoy on Wednesday as he prepared to participate in demonstrations against the extension. Witnesses also reported clashes near the residence of former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

The unrest comes as opposition groups mobilize protests against Mohamud’s plan to advance constitutional reforms and move Somalia toward direct elections, a proposal critics say concentrates power in the presidency.

Somalia remains politically fragile, with divisions among rival clans and a continuing insurgency by Al-Shabab complicating efforts to implement nationwide electoral reforms.

Humanitarian groups said the conflict has forced them to reroute shipments through longer and more expensive pathways, with transport costs rising sharply due to increased fuel prices and insurance premiums.

The disruption has compounded existing financial strain following reductions in U.S. foreign aid.The World Food Programme said tens of thousands of metric tons of food are currently delayed in transit.

The International Rescue Committee reported that pharmaceuticals intended for Sudan are stranded in Dubai, while hundreds of boxes of therapeutic food meant for malnourished children in Somalia remain stuck in India.

The United Nations Population Fund said it has also delayed shipments of medical equipment to 16 countries, underscoring the scale of the disruption.The United Nations described the situation as the most significant supply chain shock since the COVID-19 pandemic, with costs increasing by up to 20% as shipments are rerouted and delayed.

Aid agencies are increasingly relying on a combination of land, air and sea transport to bypass affected routes. UNICEF said it has shifted vaccine deliveries to Iran via Turkiye by air and road, adding about 10 days to delivery times and increasing costs by roughly 20%.

Save the Children said it has altered supply routes to Sudan, including overland transport through Saudi Arabia and barge crossings of the Red Sea, increasing delivery times by about 10 days and costs by approximately 25%.

The delays risk disrupting supplies to more than 90 primary health care facilities in Sudan.The Doctors Without Borders said rising fuel prices in Somalia have increased transport and food costs, limiting access to care for populations already facing severe food insecurity.Aid groups warned that the impact on global hunger could worsen significantly.

The World Food Programme said that if the conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people could face acute hunger, adding to nearly 320 million already affected worldwide.The disruption also threatens agricultural production, with around 30% of global fertilizer supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Countries such as Sudan and Kenya rely heavily on imports from the Gulf, raising concerns about planting seasons in regions including East Africa and South Asia.

The United Nations said it has established a task force to facilitate fertilizer trade, but aid agencies cautioned that without a ceasefire and increased funding, humanitarian operations may struggle to meet rising needs.

The United States said it remains a leading contributor to global humanitarian assistance and announced an additional $50 million in emergency aid to Lebanon, including support for the World Food Programme, as it works with international partners to address the growing crisis.

“Coming from a medical background, I’m naturally optimistic,” Al-Rabeeah told Arab News on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York. “With increasing acceptance of Palestine by many countries, particularly in the West, we are moving closer to achieving a durable solution.”

The High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, led to the adoption of the New York Declaration—a comprehensive roadmap outlining timebound, actionable steps to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Endorsed by the UN General Assembly with overwhelming support, the declaration provides a multi-dimensional framework covering political governance, security, humanitarian assistance, economic recovery, and legal accountability. Key measures include an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, reunification with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority (excluding Hamas), a temporary UN-led stabilization mission, and a halt to Israeli settlement expansion.

“The people of Palestine have endured immense suffering for many years,” Al-Rabeeah said. “The two-state solution remains the only viable path for long-term peace and a brighter future for Palestinians.”

Al-Rabeeah also highlighted global humanitarian challenges, ahead of a high-level UN meeting on displaced populations. With over 130 million people displaced worldwide and donor fatigue threatening aid efforts, he called for renewed international commitment.

“We face multiple crises — in Sudan, Ukraine, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and beyond,” he noted. “This meeting is essential to highlight the urgency of resolving ongoing crises, preventing new ones, and ensuring a better future for refugees and displaced communities.”

Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud was driving a Somali consulate car on Nov. 30 when he hit a motorcycle courier in central Istanbul, seriously injuring him. He left the country on Dec. 2, following police interrogation. An arrest warrant was issued for him after the courier died in hospital on Dec. 6.

Tunc told reporters in Ankara that he discussed the incident with his Somali counterpart, and that Somali authorities were approaching the matter “with good intentions”.

“We held meetings with the Somali judicial authorities. In the coming days, the defendant will come to Turkey and the trial process will take place,” Tunc said, adding he hoped the trial would begin soon.

A Turkish official told Reuters this week that Ankara, which has good ties with Somalia, had sought information from Somali authorities on the issue and the use of a diplomatic car.

Somali officials have not commented on the issue.

The son, Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, was driving a vehicle belonging to the Somali consulate on Nov. 30, when he hit a motorcycle courier in central Istanbul, seriously injuring him, Turkish media have said.

He was using a car carrying a diplomatic licence plate at the time of the accident, said the Turkish official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation is still underway.

“Someone who does not have diplomatic status has no right to use these vehicles,” the official added. “Information was requested about this (from Somalia).”

In the absence of “immunity or diplomatic exceptionality”, it made no difference that the Somali president’s son was driving a vehicle with a diplomatic plate, the official said, adding that Turkey’s justice ministry was handling the process.

Somali officials were not immediately available for comment.

The Somali president’s son left Turkey on Dec. 2, after his release from police interrogation, while the 38-year-old motorcyclist, Yunus Emre Gocer, remained in hospital, an Istanbul prosecutor’s office said on Friday.

But after the latter’s death in hospital on Dec. 6, an international arrest warrant was issued for the Somali president’s son, the prosecutor’s office said.

An investigation has been launched into the police officers who performed an initial assessment of the accident, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on social media platform X on Sunday.

Media reports of the incident have sparked a public outcry in Turkey, which has good ties with Somalia.

“We said we will follow the judicial process, but the suspect walked away,” Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Friday in a post on X.

The council put the embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords, who had ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the Horn of Africa country into civil war.

The 15-member body adopted two British-drafted resolutions: one to remove the full arms embargo on Somalia and another to reimpose an arms embargo on al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.

The resolution lifting the arms embargo spells out “for the avoidance of doubt, that there is no arms embargo on the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

It also expresses concern about the number of safe ammunition storage facilities in Somalia, and encourages the construction, refurbishment and use of safe ammunition depots across Somalia. It urges other countries to help.

“The lifting of the arms embargo enables us to confront security threats,” said Somalia’s U.N. Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman. “It also allows us to bolster the capacity of the Somali security forces by accessing lethal arms and equipment to adequately safeguard our citizens and our nation.”

Al Shabaab has been waging a brutal insurgency against the Somali government since 2006 to try to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Somalia’s government had long asked for the arms embargo to be removed so it could beef up its forces to take on the militants. The Security Council began to partially start lifting measures Somalia’s security forces in 2013.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said last week that Somalia has one year to expel al Shabaab, with the deadline for remaining African Union peacekeepers to leave looming in December 2024.

The so-called staff-level agreement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) is subject to approval from the fund’s board. It is to help Somalia’s economic institutions put together policies for when it reaches the point it can achieve debt relief under the fund’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Completion scheme, aimed for December.

“However, despite the progress achieved, Somalia faces significant challenges ahead, including those stemming from economic, social, security, and climate risks,” Laura Jaramillo, who headed a team that conducted a review on Somalia, said in a statement.

“Growth is currently insufficient to reduce widespread poverty, address large social needs, and create sufficient jobs for the youth. Somalia is highly vulnerable to climate shocks that hurt growth and hinder poverty reduction efforts.”

Somalia’s government has been fighting the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group since 2006. The group, which aims to overthrow the government, has been carrying out frequent gun and bomb attacks that also target peacekeeping troops supporting the government.

The country has also over the years experienced bouts of drought and floods that have led to thousands being displaced.

Police put the number of dead at five. Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on its Arabic media unit Shahada News Agency, the SITE Intelligence Group reported on Friday. It put the number of dead at 11 and wounded at 18; its numbers on casualties in attacks often differ from government figures.

The Friday afternoon blast occurred at a checkpoint on a road leading to the parliament and the president’s office and the shop is frequented by soldiers, the witness said.

The witness and medical personnel who were at the scene put the number of dead at seven and the wounded at up to eight.

Sadik Ali, the police spokesperson, said the blast killed five people and wounded six others, adding the bomber was a member of al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab.

“He killed five people … who were all drinking tea. The suicide bomber was one of the Kharijite terrorists,” Ali said in a statement, using the term the government uses to refer to al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.

“I have counted and helped transport seven dead people and six others wounded, most of them soldiers,” Ahmed Ali, a witness at the scene of the explosion, told Reuters.

In June, al Shabaab, which aims to topple the central government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law, killed 54 Ugandan soldiers at their base southwest of Mogadishu.