AFRICOM Provides Death Tolls for 2025 Strikes
Article/Op-Ed
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen/Released
April 3, 2025
On April 3, 2025, in response to a New America query, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) provided its current assessment of the death tolls for six sets of strikes whose press releases did not include numerical assessments of their total death tolls.
As a result (combined with other sourcing), there are now reported official death toll assessments for every strike that AFRICOM declared in Somalia in 2025. New America currently tallies that as of April 3rd, AFRICOM has assessed that it has killed approximately 76 combatants over the course of 14 strikes. That makes for an average AFRICOM-assessed death toll of just over 5 people per strike. AFRICOM has not assessed that any of its 2025 strikes have killed civilians.
The Tally
The details of New America’s tally are as follows:
On February 1, 2025, AFRICOM conducted an operation that it counts as a single strike against ISIS-Somalia. The initial press release stated, “The command’s initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed,” but did not provide a numerical count. On February 14th, AFRICOM issued an update, stating, “The command’s current assessment is that approximately 14 ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed.” Among those assessed killed was Ahmed Maeleninine, who the command described as “a key ISIS recruiter, financier, and external operations leader responsible for the deployment of jihadists into the United States and across Europe.”
On February 16, 2025, AFRICOM conducted a strike against ISIS-Somalia. The press release stated, “The command’s initial assessment is that the strike killed two ISIS terrorists and no civilians were harmed.”
On February 20, 2025, AFRICOM conducted what it tagged as collective self-defense airstrikes against al-Shabaab in the area of Bulo, Burti. In March, AFRICOM told New America this operation involved three strikes. The initial press release stated, “The command's initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed.” In its April 3rd reply to a New America query, AFRICOM put its current assessment of the number of enemies killed in these strikes at zero.
On February 21-22, 2025, AFRICOM conducted two strikes against ISIS-Somalia in the vicinity of Dadar. The initial press release stated, “The command’s initial assessment is that three ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed.”
On February 25, 2025, AFRICOM conducted what it labeled as a collective self-defense strike against al-Shabaab in the vicinity of al-Kowsar. The initial press release for that strike stated, “The command's initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed.” On April 3, 2025, AFRICOM told New America that its current assessment is that no enemies were killed in the strike, which it assesses destroyed one vehicle.
On March 1, 2025, AFRICOM conducted what it labeled as collective self-defense strikes against al-Shabaab in the vicinity of Ceel Baraf. In March, AFRICOM told New America that this operation involved two strikes. The initial press release stated, “The command's initial assessment is that several terrorists and a vehicle were neutralized and that no civilians were injured or killed.” On April 3, 2025, AFRICOM told New America its current assessment is that five enemies were killed.
On March 15, 2025, AFRICOM conducted what it labeled as a collective self-defense strike against al-Shabaab northeast of Mogadishu. The initial press release stated, “AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that enemy combatants were killed and that no civilians were injured or killed.” On April 3rd, AFRICOM told New America that its current assessment is that six enemies were killed.
On March 25, 2025, AFRICOM conducted a large operation that it counts as a single strike (according to a reply to a previous New America query). The initial press release stated, “AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed.” A tweet from the White House referred to “dozens” of ISIS jihadis being killed. A defense official told New America that the strike is currently assessed as killing 35 ISIS militants.
On March 29, 2025, AFRICOM conducted an airstrike against “multiple ISIS-Somalia targets” Southeast of Bosasso, Puntland. The press release stated, “AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed.” On April 3, 2025 AFRICOM told New America that its current assessment is that six enemies were killed.
On April 1, 2025, AFRICOM conducted what it labeled as a collective self-defense strike against ISIS-Somalia southeast of Bosaso. The press release stated, “AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple enemy combatants were killed and that no civilians were injured or killed.” On April 3rd, AFRICOM told New America that its current assessment is that five enemies were killed in the strike.
New America's Overall Data
New America’s overall tracking of U.S. strikes in Somalia, which includes strikes and death tolls reported by local and regional media as well as U.S. officials is available here.