US strikes push civilians towards Somalia’s Juba River
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Caasimada Online
Residents of southern Somalia say US strikes are pushing them towards the banks of the Juba River, where rains have raised fears of flooding. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) rejects the accusations and says it targets military objectives while taking measures to limit civilian casualties, according to The Guardian.
Residents of southern Somalia say US air strikes are pushing them towards the banks of the Juba River, as Deyr season rains increase the risk of flooding. Their accounts were reported by The Guardian, according to Caasimada Online.
People living in areas controlled by Al-Shabaab said repeated drone flights and air strikes were restricting their movements as water levels rose. In Jilib, Cayni Ali, a mother of six, said her home was five metres from the river and that waist-high water, combined with the attacks, was preventing residents from fleeing. Farxaan Axmed, who left the town in September, told The Guardian that a strike had razed five houses.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) rejected the accusations. A spokesperson told The Guardian that US forces did not target civilians and were not conducting operations intended to displace them. The spokesperson added that the strikes targeted military objectives authorised by law and that measures were being taken to reduce harm to civilians.
Researcher Jethro Norman, of the Danish Institute for International Studies, expressed concern about the use for military purposes of flood-mapping data produced for humanitarian operations. Caasimada Online said it had been unable to independently verify the accusations and incidents reported by residents.
These accounts come as forecasts point to population displacement linked to flooding in Somalia. Floods could displace 874,319 people by December.
