Mogadishu (Kaab TV) – Seven civilians, including two young girls, a pregnant woman, and an elderly grandmother, were killed during an early morning security operation carried out by Somali special forces trained and supported by the United States in the Dhiigta Margoos area west of Kismayo in Jubbaland, according to relatives, local residents, and regional officials.
The victims were identified as Ahmed Salad Hassan, 45; his pregnant wife Bishaaro Osman Ibrahim, 39; their daughters Jecela Ahmed Salad, 14, and Hamdi Ahmed Salad, 12; their son Osman Ahmed Salad, 15; their relative Abdow Osman Omar, 36; and their 95-year-old grandmother Habibo Osman Mahmoud.
Family members said the victims were inside their home when the operation took place before dawn on Wednesday. Relatives alleged that all seven victims were shot in the head during the raid, while another family member, 17-year-old Mohamed Ahmed Salad, survived with serious injuries and was later transported to Mogadishu for treatment.
Kaab TV reporters visited Mohamed Ahmed Salad at Digfeer Hospital, where he remains hospitalized with critical injuries sustained during the incident.
According to relatives, the family had previously fled drought-hit areas in the Juba Valley after years of severe water shortages, livestock losses, and worsening humanitarian conditions. They reportedly settled in the Dhiigta Margoos area seeking access to water and humanitarian aid.
Residents said the operation caused panic among nearby communities, with many families fleeing the area out of fear of further violence. Local elders and community leaders have demanded an independent investigation into the killings, arguing that civilians continue to bear the consequences of military operations conducted in conflict-affected regions.
The incident comes amid intensified counterterrorism operations across southern Somalia targeting Al-Shabaab militants, particularly in the regions surrounding Kismayo and the Lower Juba area. Somali government forces, alongside international partners including the United States, have increased raids and air-supported operations in recent months as part of efforts to weaken the armed group’s presence in rural areas.
However, human rights organizations and local communities have repeatedly raised concerns over civilian casualties linked to military operations and airstrikes conducted in southern Somalia. Critics argue that poor intelligence, lack of accountability, and limited transparency surrounding security operations continue to place civilians at risk.
The Somali federal government and U.S. officials have not yet released a detailed statement addressing the allegations surrounding the deaths of the civilians or explaining the circumstances of the operation.
The killings have renewed debate over the conduct of counterterrorism operations in Somalia and the growing humanitarian impact of ongoing conflict in rural communities already affected by drought, displacement, and insecurity.