(17-02-24) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) — The militant group Al-Shabaab on Saturday announced the deaths of two Cuban doctors via a statement on the messaging platform Telegram, claiming they were killed in a US drone attack in Jilib town, Lower Juba region. This claim, however, has not been independently verified, leaving room for uncertainty around the circumstances of their demise.
Kidnapped in 2019 from the North Eastern region of Kenya, the two doctors, Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez were integral to a Cuban medical mission aimed at providing healthcare services in remote rural areas. Despite extensive efforts and negotiations aimed at securing their release, all attempts have proven fruitless over the years.
On 14 February, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) reported conducting an airstrike against Al-Shabaab in the Yaaq Dabeyl area of the Lower Juba region on 9 February, which resulted in the death of two militants. This airstrike is part of a broader strategy to counter the group’s activities in Somalia.
Sources close to the Somali government have accused Al-Shabaab of executing the Cuban doctors after years of captivity, during which it is alleged they were trained in medical practices by the group. The claim sheds light on the grim fate of the doctors, whose abduction has drawn condemnation from the international community.
Halqabsi News
