US forces accused of ‘weaponising’ Somalia’s floods by trapping women and children in the path of El Niño
Summary
Residents of Jilib and nearby villages in southern Somalia say repeated airstrikes have made it difficult to leave as the Juba River rises, forcing some people toward flood-prone areas. The article reports allegations that the U.S.-coordinated campaign against al-Shabaab is exploiting the risk of El Niño-related flooding; U.S. Africa Command denies using weather or flooding to displace civilians or cause harm.Key Facts
- Cayni Ali, a Jilib resident and mother of six, said floodwater reached her waist and airstrikes were making it difficult to leave the city.
- Asho Omar, from a village near Jilib, described airstrikes as constant and said many people had been killed.
- The article describes Jilib as an al-Shabaab stronghold and says residents reported civilian casualties and bodies in the streets.
- A source monitoring the Juba floodplain alleged that airstrikes were pushing people toward areas at risk of flooding.
- Researchers raised concerns that information used to map flood risk could be misused to cause harm rather than reduce civilian casualties.
- El Niño-related flooding in Somalia in 2023 displaced more than 1.2 million people, according to the article.
- U.S. Africa Command said it does not target civilians or use weather or flooding as a method of warfare, and said it takes feasible measures to reduce civilian harm.
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