The data in the following timelines and maps on US strikes in Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, and Libya has been obtained from press reports from the respective local outlets, US military reports, wire reports (AFP, Reuters, etc.), as well as independent reporting from FDD’s Long War Journal. Given groups’ control of the areas where strikes occur (Taliban in Pakistan, AQAP in Yemen, Shabaab in Somalia) and a dearth of reporting in those areas, the exact numbers for casualties are difficult to determine. The numbers below are estimates based on this reporting.
US airstrikes in Yemen
Since 2002, the US has been conducting a covert and now overt program to target and kill al Qaeda commanders based in Yemen. Note: the numbers for 2017 are an estimate. US CENTRAL Command has stopped issuing statements that noted individual strikes, and instead has given an estimate of “more than 100 strikes” as of September 2017.
US airstrikes in Somalia
Since 2007, the US has been conducting a covert program to target and kill Shabaab commanders and operatives based in Somalia.
US airstrikes in Pakistan
Since 2004, the US has been conducting a covert program to target and kill al Qaeda and Taliban commanders based in Pakistan’s lawless northwest. The program has targeted top al Qaeda leaders, al Qaeda’s external operations network, and Taliban leaders and fighters who threaten both the Afghan and Pakistani states.
US airstrikes and raid in Libya
Since 2014, the US has been conducted strikes and raids against al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Libya. The majority of these strikes occurred under Operation Odyssey Lightning, the US air campaign which enabled Libyan Government of National Accord forces to recapture Sirte from the Islamic State in 2016.
