What happened

Al-Shabaab militants launched a coordinated assault on Baledogle airfield in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region on 30 September 2019, featuring two suicide bombings and sustained gunfire against the facility, which serves as a US drone-operations hub and Somali forces training center hosting roughly 650-800 Department of Defense personnel. No US or partner forces were killed or injured; the US military said it killed approximately 10 Al-Shabaab fighters in retaliatory airstrikes and ground engagement. US Africa Command's Maj. Gen. William Gayler called the attack 'ineffective' but said it demonstrated the continuing threat Al-Shabaab poses to American and allied forces in the region. A separate suicide car bombing targeting an Italian military convoy in Mogadishu the same day missed its target and wounded nearby civilians instead.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.