In a remote corner of Somalia, a seven-year-old boy named Abdiqadir Salah is caught in the aftermath of a devastating US airstrike that has left him with shrapnel embedded in his back and thigh. With medical treatment costing £750, his family is trapped in a desperate fight for survival. As the US government continues to deny civilian casualties, the plight of Abdiqadir and his family highlights the grim realities of foreign military interventions in conflict zones.
A Family Torn Apart
On 15 November 2025, Abdiqadir was outside his home in Jamaame when the world around him erupted in chaos. The airstrike, targeting militants from the Islamist group al-Shabaab, indiscriminately claimed the lives of at least 12 civilians, eight of whom were children. “That’s where three of my children got wounded. All three of them were laying on the ground covered in blood,” recounted Marian Haji Abdi Guled, Abdiqadir’s mother. The trauma of that day is etched into her memory, as she recalls the sound of drones hovering ominously before the missiles struck without warning.
Marian’s harrowing experience did not end with the attack. With her children injured and no time to lose, she fled to the countryside in search of safety, where she tended to their wounds amidst the terror of further strikes. Her 16-year-old son Mohamed suffered shrapnel wounds to his fingers, while her daughter Sumaya, aged 14, had metal fragments lodged in her head. Abdiqadir, too, was in grave danger, with X-rays revealing shrapnel perilously close to vital areas.
The Cost of Survival
In the days following the attack, Marian embarked on a desperate journey to seek medical help for her children. She traversed 40 miles to Jilib, the de facto capital of an al-Shabaab-held territory, only to find that the local hospital could provide no assistance. With borrowed funds, she pushed onwards to Mogadishu, the capital, where the hope of treatment lay.
Despite the arduous trek, not all of her children could be brought to the city. “I left my oldest back in Jamaame because I couldn’t afford to take him to Mogadishu,” she lamented. The harsh realities of their situation are compounded by their lack of resources—renting a place in Mogadishu alone costs nearly £190 a month, making it virtually impossible for the family to save for Abdiqadir’s urgent operation.
Doctors have made it clear that time is of the essence. “They told me if the shrapnel isn’t removed from his body, it could affect his ability to continue walking,” Marian said, her voice heavy with despair. The thought of her son potentially losing the ability to walk weighs heavily on her, yet the financial burden remains insurmountable.
Unanswered Questions
The airstrike that devastated this family is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of US military operations in Somalia. The Pentagon has been secretive about the casualties resulting from its actions, with no compensation offered to the families affected. Under the previous administration, legal frameworks intended to safeguard civilian lives were quietly dismantled, leaving families like Marian’s to grapple with the consequences.
Marian firmly believes that the US military is responsible for the suffering inflicted on her family. “It is the Americans who are responsible for our suffering,” she said, pointing out that the devastation was caused by aerial bombardment, not ground troop fire. The lack of accountability only adds to the burden borne by civilians caught in the crossfire.
Despite the dire circumstances, Marian remains in Mogadishu, clinging to the hope that her son can receive the treatment he desperately needs. The US Department of War, when approached for comment, declined to provide answers about the airstrikes, leaving families like Marian’s in a state of uncertainty and despair.
Why it Matters
The heartbreaking tale of Abdiqadir Salah and his family is emblematic of the complex and often tragic consequences of foreign military interventions. As the US continues its airstrikes in the region, the human cost is borne by innocent civilians who find themselves collateral damage in a larger geopolitical struggle. The absence of accountability and the refusal to acknowledge civilian casualties not only exacerbate the suffering of families like Marian’s but also perpetuate a cycle of violence and desperation in the very communities these operations aim to stabilise. The world must confront the realities of such conflicts, where the price of intervention is often paid in blood.
