GAROWE – An airstrike carried out by a foreign military partner in the Calmiskaad mountains near Qandala district has killed a pregnant woman and her three daughters, according to Somali officials and local authorities, as concerns mount over rising civilian casualties from intensified drone operations across the country.
The incident, which occurred on May 21 in the Bahaya highlands of the Bari region, has drawn sharp condemnation from Somalia’s deputy ambassador to Tanzania, Ashkir Nur, who called for accountability and warned of possible legal action if regional authorities fail to investigate [citation:5].
Family Struck in Area Designated as ‘Safe Zone’
The strike hit a nomadic pastoralist family living approximately 30 kilometers south of the village of Buruc in the Calmiskaad mountain range, an area known for ongoing military operations against Islamic State (ISIS) militants. According to Buruc local administrator Daad Isse Mahmoud, the family consisted of a pregnant mother, three children, and the father.
“The pregnant mother, the three children, and even the livestock they owned were all killed,” the official told local media.
Somalia’s Deputy Ambassador to Tanzania, Ashkir Nur, condemned the strike, stating that it occurred in an area designated by the government as a safe zone. “This heinous incident occurred in the ‘Bahaya’ highlands of the Bari region, an area inhabited by pastoralist families,” Nur said. “It was close to a deployment point for the ‘Darwish’ forces, and the bombarded area was among those designated by the government as ‘safe zones, far from shelling and targeting'”.
The sole survivor of the immediate family, Mohamed Eid Ismail, the father of the three girls, sustained severe injuries and is receiving medical treatment in Bosaso. “He is in a deplorable psychological state following the martyrdom of his pregnant wife and three daughters, as well as the severe damage inflicted upon his livestock and his modest worldly possessions,” Nur added.
Responsibility Unclear as Foreign Partners Operate in Region
Puntland authorities do not possess independent air assets or drones, focusing scrutiny on international partners operating in the mountainous Bari region where militants maintain hideouts . The United States has dramatically escalated its air campaign in Somalia this year, launching at least 63 airstrikes according to available data, while the United Arab Emirates and Turkey are also known to conduct operations in the country.
A mass funeral was held Tuesday in Buruc for the victims, according to officials and residents [citation:4]. The remote location of the strike meant that information about the incident only emerged several days later due to the lack of telecommunications infrastructure in the area [citation:1]. The injured father managed to walk to an area with mobile phone coverage to alert authorities and local residents about the attack.
Diplomat Threatens Legal Action Over Civilian Deaths
The diplomat indicated that legal action would be pursued if regional authorities failed to establish accountability. “The Puntland authorities must clarify the matter, take the initiative to heal the wounds, comfort the stricken family, and admit the mistake,” Nur stated. “Unless all of the aforementioned steps are taken, we will resort to the judiciary – demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, both locally and internationally, along with the entity that owns the air force that bombed the afflicted family”.
The tragedy in Puntland reflects a broader pattern of civilian casualties connected to counter-terrorism operations across Somalia. Rights groups warn that a lack of transparency and a failure to investigate potential violations complicate the overall security environment, with analysts noting that civilian casualties risk driving aggrieved populations to align with insurgent groups.
As of this writing, neither Puntland authorities nor international military partners involved in counterterrorism operations in the region have released an official statement regarding the incident or announced an investigation into the reported civilian deaths.
