US Africa Command Denies Weaponizing Weather in Somalia
United States Africa Command denies accusations that airstrikes in southern Somalia are trapping civilians in flood-prone areas during an intense El Niño rainy season.
The United States Africa Command (Africom) is facing accusations of weaponizing the El Niño weather pattern in southern Somalia. Residents of Jilib, a stronghold for the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, report that constant drone strikes have pinned women and children against the banks of the rising Juba River. Witnesses describe indiscriminate attacks and bodies in the streets, claiming the military action increases the risk of large-scale drowning as the rainy season intensifies.
Africom has denied these claims, stating it does not use weather or flooding as a method of warfare and targets only lawful military objectives. Official US records report significantly fewer strikes than those described by local residents. The military command maintains it takes feasible measures to mitigate civilian harm.
The crisis is exacerbated by a severe lack of flood defenses and dwindling international aid. In Kismayo, the International Committee of the Red Cross is treating malnourished children and patients with weapon-related injuries fleeing al-Shabaab territory. Ali Adan Ali, the commissioner for displaced people in Jubaland, has warned that a lack of rescue boats leaves trapped populations vulnerable.
