President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that Cuba continues its efforts for the safe return of two doctors who were kidnapped in Kenya four years ago.
“We persevere in our battle for the safe return to Cuba of doctors, Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodriguez Hernandez. Four years after their kidnapping, we continue our tireless efforts to have them among us, together with their families and their people,” the president wrote on his Twitter account. The two Cuban experts were kidnapped in the Kenyan city of Mandera (northeast), on the border with Somalia and the target of attacks by the Somali jihadist group Al-Shabaab.
Since then, Cuban authorities have reported that they have taken steps for the return of the doctors, as well as keeping in touch with their families. The Kenyan Government also reported efforts for the same purpose.
Last week, Somalia and Cuba have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations after cutting ties over four decades ago.
Somalia and Cuba established diplomatic relations in 1972, but the ties were severed in 1977 after Cuba backed Ethiopia in the Somalia-Ethiopia war in the Ogaden region and sent thousands of Cuban troops and advisers to Ethiopia.
