‘It is too much to kill three or four Al Shabaab’: Civilian perceptions on Al Shabaab and harm from US airstrikes in Jubbaland, Somalia

The report finds that US airstrikes negatively affect civilians in Jubbaland in several ways. Fatalities, injuries, mental trauma and widespread property damage are among the reported direct civilian harm effects of these airstrikes. Reverberating civilian harm effects include displacement, economic harm and increased social tensions.

We further found that the effectiveness of the US military strategy is questioned by many of the people we interviewed. They argue that (1) many Al Shabaab members do not pose a threat to the United States as they were forcefully recruited or joined the group because of a perceived lack of other options rather than out of ideology and an intent to harm the US, and (2) that in Al-Shabaab controlled territory like Jubbaland, it is difficult to at all times properly distinguish between Al Shabaab combatants, Al Shabaab members with a non-combat function and civilians who merely happen to live under Al Shabaab governance and control.

Read the full report and our recommendations below. Note that the research was carried out by an independent consultant; the recommendations made are those by PAX.