The US military says it was not involved in the death of two Cuban doctors who, according to the militant group al-Shabab, died as a result of a US airstrike in Somalia in February.
The latest quarterly civilian damage assessment released by the US Africa Command, also known as AFRICOM, confirms that US forces carried out an airstrike near the town of Jilib on February 15, but denies that the raid caused the death of doctors.
“On February 17, 2024, the command received a report from an online media outlet stating that two civilians were killed as a result of a US military operation in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia, on February 15, 2024,” he said. the evaluation.
“The command completed a review of available information and assessed that the US airstrike launched on February 15, 2024 did not cause harm to civilians,” it states.
Without providing evidence, Al Shabab then said that “the aerial bombardment” killed Assel Herrera and Landy Rodríguez. The two had been in the custody of the militants since April 2019, when they were abducted in Mandera county in northeastern Kenya.
The doctors were part of a medical team sent to Kenya by Cuba. Al-Shabab released an image purportedly showing the body of one of the hostages. The Somali service of the Voice of America has not independently confirmed whether the Cuban doctors have died.
In addition, AFRICOM says it has completed an assessment of two other incidents this year: one on January 25 in the vicinity of Galhareeri in Galmudug state and on February 22 in Kurtunwaarey in the southwestern state.
US airstrikes were blamed for causing multiple civilian injuries and deaths. AFRICOM said assessments determined there were no U.S. military operations at the reported times and locations.
AFRICOM said it had one case open this quarter and information on it will be released later this year.
“US Africa Command takes all reports of possible harm to civilians seriously and has a process to conduct comprehensive reviews and assessments using all available information,” the assessment explains. “The command remains committed to reviewing and evaluating any reports of harm to civilians.”
The United States has supported the Somali government with airstrikes against al-Shabab and has been providing military training to government troops for more than a decade.
In February, the United States and Somalia signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of up to five military bases for the elite US-trained Somali National Army forces, known as the Danab Brigade.
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