Conflicting reports of action on front

The Kenyan military and relief agencies were on Monday giving conflicting accounts of a bombing raid by Kenya Air Force jets deep inside Somalia on Sunday afternoon.

While international humanitarian group Medicins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it was treating dozens of injured following an aerial bombardment of the town of Jilib that hit a camp for internally displaced people, the Kenyan military said it had carried out a raid in Marere, Lower Juba region, southern Somalia but that only Al-Shabaab militants had been killed.

MSF on Monday called on warring parties to respect the rights of civilians.

“At least three people are reported dead and 52 injured, mostly women and children,” MSF said in a statement in Nairobi.

But in a statement, military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir said no civilians were either killed or injured by the Kenya Air Force bombs.

He said the casualties reported at an IDP camp were caused by enemy fire.

“The incident at the IDP camp developed following enemy actions in the area. Upon the aerial attack, an Al-Shabaab driver drove off a technical battle wagon mounted with an anti-aircraft gun towards the IDP camp. The wagon was on fire and laden with explosives. It exploded at the camp, causing the reported deaths and injuries,” Major Chirchir added.

The spokesman said they had contacted MSF personnel on ground to ascertain the turn of events.

The Kenyan military killed at least 10 Al-Shabaab members and seriously wounded 47 others in an air strike at another training centre for the group.

Major Chirchir said Al-Shabaab’s training centre on the outskirts of Afmadow, was bombed on Sunday evening.

At least two jet fighters were involved in the bombing of that part of the commercial town.

“The centre was severely damaged by the air strike at around 1500 hours. From the ground it is confirmed 10 Al-Shabaab members died and 47 were seriously wounded,” the military spokesman said.

It was, however, not clear whether the injured were captured by Kenyan and TFG troops.

Major Chirchir said the bombardment was part of a plan to capture the town and further advance towards the southern Somalia port town of Kismayu.