Cuban Govt Addresses Reports 2 Doctors Kidnapped in Kenya Were Bombed By US Drone
On Saturday, February 17, Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel responded to reports of two Cuban doctors being targeted by a bombing incident in Somalia.
In 2019, Al Shabaab terrorists abducted the Cuban physicians Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez. Subsequently, the doctors were transported to Somalia and have remained in captivity there.
In his national address, President Miguel stated that there is no official confirmation from Kenya or Somalia regarding the deaths of the two doctors in the town of Jilib, Lower Juba region, as a result of a United States drone strike.
“I express all my solidarity and affection to the families of our doctors Assel and Landy, in these moments of uncertainty and increased pain, in the face of the tragic news not yet confirmed, in whose clarification we are working hard with international authorities,” the President stated.
Miguel Diaz expressed his admiration for the resilience of both families, noting that the two doctors embody the noble and generous spirit of a community that willingly shares even when resources are scarce.
Despite indications suggesting that the doctors might have perished due to the drone strike, the Cuban President asserted that the country remained steadfast in its determination to locate them alive.
“We will do so as long as there is no official confirmation that they have died,” he vowed.
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Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it maintained regular communication with the governments of Kenya and Somalia.
In 2019, while participating in an outreach program in Mandera County, two physicians were abducted and later pronounced dead in a bombing incident that took place on Thursday, February 15th.
“So far, this information has not been confirmed. In this regard, the Cuban authorities remain in permanent communication with their Kenyan and Somali counterparts, and our people will be immediately informed,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced.
Assel Herrera specialized in General Medicine, whereas Landy Rodriguez practiced as a surgeon.
The pair arrived in Kenya after participating in a health exchange program in 2017. During this initiative, Cuban doctors came to the country to address shortages in county hospitals, while Kenyan doctors were scheduled to undergo specialized training in Cuba.
In 2022, ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta pledged that the Kenyan government would utilize all available means to guarantee the secure repatriation of the kidnapped doctors.
Cuban Govt Addresses Reports 2 Doctors Kidnapped in Kenya Were Bombed By US Drone
