AFRICOM

× Clear Filters
19 Articles
Somali soldiers enter Sanguuni military base, where an American special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack on June 8, about 450 km south of Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 13, 2018

What the White House Use of Force Policy Means for the War in Somalia

In principle, the new policy tightens safeguards for airstrikes and special operation raids. But it contains loopholes that will likely allow business as usual for USAFRICOM in…
Rubble lies on the floor near the site of a recent Al Shabab attack on the Hayat Hotel, seen through the window of an armoured car on September 4, 2022 in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Bombing for Peace in Somalia? Time for a Different Approach

The path to peace in Somalia cannot rest on counterterrorism operations alone.
SANA'A, YEMEN - SEPTEMBER 19: A Yemeni man looks at graffiti protesting against US drone strikes on September 19, 2018 in Sana'a, Yemen. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images)

DoD Needs to Rethink its Civilian Casualty Reporting Mechanism

Current reporting mechanisms are opaque and not user-friendly for civilians seeking to use them in conflict-prone areas.

Questions for Congress to Ask the Biden Administration at the AUMF Hearing

Better yet, here's also the information that the witnesses themselves should proactively convey to the American public and Congress.
Trucks carry troops along a dirt road. They carry guns.

Failure to Warn: War Powers Reporting and the “War on Terror” in Africa

How prior administrations failed to tell Congress about special forces engaged in combat operations in Cameroon, Niger, Somalia, Tunisia, and what it means for War Powers and AUMF…
A Somali woman walks in an internally displaced people (IDP) camp as hundreds of people recently fled from southern Somalia US's airstrikes against al Shebab, in Baidoa, autonomous South West State of Somalia, on December 18, 2018.

Plan to Pull U.S. Troops from Somalia is Cold Comfort Amid Civilian Toll of Air War

AFRICOM insists its aim is to ‘degrade’ al-Shabaab. But the US military campaign is taking a heavy toll on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Just Security

AFRICOM’s Improved Civilian Casualty Reporting System Still Leaves Gaps for Somalia

Only with more ways to submit reports and the proper followup can the U.S. military start to rebuild trust among communities harmed by its actions.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander, U.S. Africa Command, shake hands as she steps out of a car during a visit April 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Great Expectations: AFRICOM’s New Quarterly Report on Civilian Casualties

A look at circumstances under which civilian casualties may occur in Somalia, why the US military may be under-reporting the numbers, and what to do about it.
U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Maj. Gen. Mpho Mophuting, director of general support services, Botswana Defence Force, meet Aug. 14, 2019.

What Counts As Sufficient Transparency on Civilian Casualties in Somalia

Former National Security Council and Defense Department official writes about upcoming civilian casualties report from AFRICOM, and what will still be missing.
U.S. Army Spc. Christopher Andres, infantryman assigned to Task Force Guardian, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), 1-186th Infantry Battalion, Oregon National Guard, provides security for a 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) C-130J Super Hercules during unloading and loading operations in Somalia on Feb. 6, 2020.

US Ramps Up War in Somalia, Killing More Civilians

While much of the world tries to fight a global pandemic that has already killed thousands, the U.S. military has been secretly stepping up its war in Somalia, killing civilians…
A soldier sits in an U.S. Army helicopter as it flies outside of Camp Shorab on a flight to Camp Post on September 11, 2017 at Camp Shorab in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Hidden Gems: Civilian Casualties and Use of Force Reporting Provisions in the Annual Defense Bill

For all the ways that the NDAA falls short on various human rights issues, there are some bright spots that should not be overlooked.
An Afghan National Army officer, right, informs his U.S. Army counterparts from the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, left and center, about ANA troop movements May 6, 2013 while pursuing Taliban fighters in Babus, Afghanistan.

Part III: The Muddy Middle: A New Framework for Use of Force

We may not have wanted to land in this muddy middle between peace and war that we currently find ourselves in, but this is the reality of the current moment in the counterterrorism…
1-12 of 19 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: