US forces accused of ‘weaponising’ Somalia’s floods by trapping women and children in the path of El Niño
Reported by The Guardian World, not nibnow. We are not the publisher of this story, only the source is.
Military airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab are reportedly forcing civilians into flood-prone areas where rising river levels pose a severe threat to life. This situation raises questions about whether military operations are inadvertently or deliberately placing vulnerable populations in the path of natural disasters.
Exclusive: Coordinated airstrikes on territory held by al-Shabaab are driving the civilian population to find refuge alongside a river where rising water levels are a threat to safety. Is it a deliberate military strategy? The water was rising rapidly. It had already reached Cayni Ali’s waist. Her home, five metres from the flooded River Juba in southern Somalia, never stood a chance. There was nowhere to go. Ali’s city of Jilib was under attack. Repeated airstrikes, said the mother of six, were
El Niño is a climate pattern that can cause extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and flooding, in various parts of the world. In Somalia, these weather patterns often exacerbate existing humanitarian crises and displacement caused by conflict.
- •The response from international humanitarian organizations regarding civilian displacement and flood relief.
- •Official statements from the US military or relevant authorities regarding their targeting and displacement strategies.
- •Further reports on the impact of rising water levels on the civilian population in the Juba river region.