AFRICOM says 2 civilians killed unintentionally in Somalia airstrike

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said that 2 civilians have been killed and wounded three others in Somalia airstrike that was intended to target al-Shabab fighters last February, according to a news report by Voice of America.

In a press release on April 27, AFRICOM commander Gen. Stephen Townsend said, "Since taking command, I have placed additional focus on increasing the transparency of our process. Where we come up short, we will admit it openly."

"We have the highest respect for our Somali friends, and we are deeply sorry this occurred," Townsend added.

AFRICOM has also shared the statement on its official Twitter account.

NEWS: Civilian Casualty Assessment Report (1 of 2)-----“Regrettably 2 civilians were killed and 3 others injured in a Feb. 2019 airstrike. We have the highest respect for our Somali friends and we are deeply sorry this occurred.” - Gen. TownsendReport: https://t.co/VMjyfj8UQH pic.twitter.com/TCpgCZRwdd

— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) April 27, 2020

The command said the two civilians were unintentionally killed as a result of a strike on Feb. 23, 2019. The strike also killed two al-Shabab terrorists, who were the intended targets.

AFRICOM said that it has conducted a total number of 91 airstrikes against terror groups in Somalia and Libya from February 2019 to March 31, 2020.

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Armed Forces. It is responsible for U.S. military operations, including fighting regional conflicts and maintaining military relations with 53 African nations.