Six months ago, at least 12 people, including eight children, died during a US drone attack in Jamaame, Somalia. The US has never admitted the civilian deaths. Here, the Guardian pieces together what happened that day.
The Attack
On 15 November 2025, shortly after 9am, Jamaame shuddered from a series of explosions. The home of Abdullahi Mohamed Abo Sheikh Ali was among those obliterated. His grandfather Mohamed raced towards the rubble, finding the bodies of his grandchildren ripped to pieces. Among the dead were Safiyo Hassan Abukar, heavily pregnant, and her children Abdifatah (10), Abdinasir (7), Hussein (6), and Abdurahman (4).
According to a Guardian investigation, at least 12 civilians, including eight children, died during the attack. It is the deadliest US operation for civilians in Somalia during either Trump administration, with the US not having killed so many innocent people in a single incident in 18 years.
Witness Accounts
Marian Haji Abdi Guled saw her three children return from Qur'an school moments before missiles struck. Her children were injured by shrapnel. Maryan Nur Buruji's pregnant stepdaughter was killed at the school, her two-year-old surviving tied to her back. Mohamed Hassan Abdulle found his wife and 10-month-old daughter dead in their destroyed home.
Gedow Ibrahim received a call from his wife about drones hovering above. His house was destroyed, killing his daughters Maryan (9) and Farhiyo (7). Another daughter, Amin (8), was wounded by shrapnel.
US Policy Changes
The attack occurred after President Trump's second term began. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a directive dismantling safeguards governing drone strikes, removing the requirement for White House approval. This led to a dramatic escalation: 123 US airstrikes in Somalia in 2025, more than six times the previous year.
Questions of Intelligence
Africom stated the strikes targeted al-Shabaab, but witnesses say the group was not present in Jamaame. The victims were mostly women and children. The drones' live feeds should have allowed operators to distinguish civilians, raising questions about target development and oversight.
Lack of Accountability
The US has not admitted civilian deaths or launched an investigation. Africom stopped releasing casualty figures last May. Families have received no compensation or apology. Trump's anti-Somali rhetoric has been cited as potentially dehumanizing Somalis and tacitly approving such strikes.
"I need to know why my children were bombed as they returned from Qur'an school," says Ibrahim. Guled urges Americans for justice and compensation. The drones continue to hover over Jamaame, instilling fear among residents.
