AFRICOM Conducts 78th Airstrike of 2026 Near Jilib

In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab on August 7, 2026, in the vicinity of Jilib, Middle Juba region, approximately 322 km southwest of Mogadishu. AFRICOM did not disclose casualty figures, stating that specific details about units and assets would not be released to preserve operational security — the command has not published civilian harm assessments since the prior year. Antiwar.com's tracking places this as at least the 78th confirmed US airstrike in Somalia in 2026, keeping the year on pace to approach or exceed 2025's record total of roughly 124-126 strikes.