Twenty Years of U.S. Airstrikes in Somalia Haven't Defeated al-Shabaab or Its Toll

Nearly two decades of American airstrikes across five administrations have failed to weaken al-Shabaab, and civilian harm remains poorly documented. Strike frequency is climbing—26 in January alone—while accountability mechanisms are absent. A boy injured last November still awaits surgery, exposing gaps between stated policy and victim assistance on the ground.