Cuba dismisses Africom's report on airstrike, demands answers on missing doctors

Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez has dismissed the latest US Africa Command's civilian casualty report on the February 15 airstrike at Jilib in Somalia terming it unsatisfactory to their enquiries on the whereabouts of their missing doctors.

In a post on X, the minister said the information does not provide answers to the whereabouts of its two missing Cuban Doctors who were kidnapped by Al-Shabaab militia in Mandera County in April 2019, never to be found.

"The information released by the US spokesperson is surprising and does not provide anything new about our compatriots Assel and Landy," said the Minister.

"Since April we waited, without response, for inquiries Cuba officially requested regarding Africom attacks in another town in Somalia," he added.

Cuba's response followed the publishing of the first quarter report on civilian casualties in airstrikes conducted between January and March 31 this year.

According to the report, the airstrike did not claim any casualties. "On February 17, 2024, the command reviewed one report from an online media source stating that two civilians were killed as a result of a US Military operation in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia on February 15, 2024. The command completed a review of available information and assessed that the US airstrike conducted on February 15, 2024, did not result in civilian harm."

The two doctors Assel Herrera and Landy Rodríguez Hernández were stationed at the Mandera County Referral Hospital when they were kidnapped on April 12, 2019, by Al-Shabaab militia and taken to Somalia.

Multiple attempts by security agencies to have them rescued failed and their whereabouts remained unknown until February this year when the Al-Shabaab militant group alarmingly claimed that they were killed in "multiple drone strikes" in the southern Somali city of Jilib on February 15, claims that could not be independently verified.

At the time, Africom only confirmed in a statement that an air strike had indeed been conducted against the Al-Shabaab network near Jilib on that date but added that it was not aware the strike had killed two civilians.

"We do not have any further information at this time about these reports, but we do take all claims of civilian casualties seriously," it said.

The claims triggered a series of movements between Cuba and Kenya by senior Cuban government officials in search of answers as to the whereabouts of their citizens.

The delegation met President William Ruto and senior security officials before heading back home after a week of engagements.

They confirmed having received sensitive information on the matter but did not divulge the details.

"I thank the government of Kenya for its cooperation in obtaining sensitive information that helps advance the still limited clarification of the current situation of Cuban doctors," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriquez said in a post on X.

Another statement from the ministry added that the information obtained was being processed by the authorities in charge of closely monitoring such an important investigation.

Africom's report

Africom's report has awakened questions on the whereabouts of the two doctors who were kidnapped as one of their escort personnel Constable Mutundo Kitambo, got killed.

Their driver, Issack Ibrein Robow, then a government employee attached to Mandera County was found guilty of facilitating the incident and thereby committing a terrorist act.

He was charged with the commission of a terrorist act, kidnapping and hostage, obtaining registration by false pretence and being unlawfully in Kenya respectively.

In the quarterly civilian harm assessment report period ending March 31, 2024, the Command said it received four new reports of civilian harm, with no open reports carried over from previous quarters.

Other than the one highlighted, the other completed assessments were as follows; On January 25, 2024, the command received one report from an online media source stating multiple civilians were killed as a result of a US military operation in the vicinity of Galhareri, Somalia, on Jan. 24, 2024.

"USAfricom completed a review of all available information and determined that there were no US military operations at the time and place reported," the report says.

On February 22, 2024, the command received another report from a social media source stating that a US airstrike injured a mother and three children in Kurtunwaarey, Lower Shabelle, Somalia.

"The social media source also attributed "material damage" to a separate US airstrike in Galgudeed, Somalia. The command completed a review of all available information and determined that there were no US military operations at the times and places reported," the report adds.