Cuba Awaits U.S. Response on Missing Doctors in Somalia

Kidnapped Cuban Doctors, Photo: @barbara_bitar

June 13, 2024 Hour: 12:59 pm

“It is surprising the information released by the US spokesman who does not contribute anything new about our compatriots,” said the Cuban foreign minister.

The Minister of Relations of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrillas, said on Wednesday that the report of the United States Military Command in Africa (AFRICOM) «does not bring anything new» on the alleged death of doctors Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández in a US air strike against the jihadist group Al Shabab, in Somalia, by whom the galleys were being held.

“The information released by the US spokesman who does not contribute anything new about our compatriots is surprising,” the head of Cuban diplomacy wrote in his X account.

He also assured that, since April, Cuba has been waiting, “without a response”, inquiries that “officially requested regarding AFRICOM attacks in another town in Somalia”.

The United States Army. confirmed that he carried out a bombing near the town of Jilib (south), where the Cuban doctors were held captive, but denied that this attack caused his death.

Announcement made by US spokesman, which adds nothing new about the fate of our compatriots Assel & Landy, is surprising

Since April we've been waiting for an inquiry that #Cuba officially requested about AFRICOM attacks somewherelse in Somalia, which has so far been unanswered
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) June 12, 2024

Conversely, then, in a statement, Al Shabab reported that the Cuban galleys captured in Kenya in 2019 died «instantly» in a bombing of The White House in Somalia that «targeted a house in Jilib».

However, the possible death has not been confirmed by either Kenya or Somalia or Cuba.

In its recent report, the US command indicated that it «completed a review of the available information and assessed that the US air strike carried out on February 15, 2024 did not cause harm to civilians».