Key facts
- US airstrikes in Somalia are allegedly forcing civilians into flood-prone areas.
- The strategy is accused of 'weaponizing' El Niño to push populations towards the Juba River.
- Residents report significant civilian casualties and destruction in Jilib.
- US Africa Command denies targeting civilians or using weather as warfare.
- The Juba River basin is experiencing severe flooding due to El Niño.
US airstrikes in Somalia are allegedly forcing civilians into flood-prone areas, exploiting the strengthening El Niño weather pattern as a weapon of war, according to sources and residents. The strategy aims to drown al-Shabaab militants and their supporters by pushing them towards the Juba River, which is experiencing severe flooding. US Africa Command denies targeting civilians or using weather as warfare.
Residents of Jilib described repeated airstrikes pinning them near the rising Juba River, with some stating that the attacks were killing civilians and animals. Sources monitoring the Juba floodplain indicated that the airstrikes are forcing people into flood-prone areas, exploiting El Niño as a weapon to push the population into vulnerable locations.
US officials stated that Africom does not target civilians, conduct operations to displace populations, or use weather as a method of warfare, emphasizing that they target lawful military objectives and take measures to mitigate civilian harm. However, analysts question the ethics of using humanitarian mapping data to inflict harm, a reversal of the intended process.