KDF kills 34 militants, seizes Al-Shabaab leader
KDF soldiers on patrol in Afmadow, Somalia. On Saturday, March 19, 2016, KDF soldiers killed 21 Al-Shabaab militants in a shootout in Lower Juba Region in Somalia and recovered weapons. Two Kenyan soldiers also died in the shootout. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The soldiers were on their way to Afmadow when they engaged Al-Shabaab militants who had laid an ambush in the Lower Juba Region.
- During the fierce engagement the overpowered Al-Shabaab militants resorted to the use of improvised explosive devices (IED), damaging one of the KDF vehicles.
- On Wednesday last week, the KDF also killed 19 Al-Shabaab militants in Afmadow.
- A US drone strike last week killed more than 150 Al-Shabaab militants at a training camp where a large scale attack was being planned.
Kenyan troops in Somalia have killed 34 Al-Shabaab militants, captured a middle-level commander and seized 27 AK47 rifles in two separate battles in the past two days.
The Kenya Defence Forces, however lost two soldiers in the attacks, said military spokesman David Obonyo.
On Saturday afternoon, 21 militants were shot dead and 21 AK47 rifles and three rocket-propelled grenades impounded.
On Sunday, 13 terrorists were killed in Sarira, Lacta Belt, 30 kilometres north of Ras Kamboni, and eight AK47 rifles, two PKM (light machine guns) and two RPGs found.
Col Obonyo said that, in the first attack, a convoy of KDF soldiers under Amisom heading to Afmadhow engaged the militants, who had laid an ambush in the Lower Juba region.
“Regrettably, KDF suffered two fatalities and five injuries,” said Col Obonyo.
SOLDIERS INJURED
The overpowered militants resorted to improvised explosive devices, damaging one of the KDF vehicles.
Five soldiers were injured and evacuated.
On Wednesday, the KDF killed 19 militants in Afmadhow and seized a vehicle, 10 AK47 rifles and three RPGs. The militants were planning to attack a camp occupied by the Amisom and Somali National Army (SNA) troops in Afmadhow.
“The Al-Shabaab terrorists had approached the camp at night with the intention to attack and cut off the SNA from Amisom (KDF) camp,” said Col Obonyo.
“KDF soldiers on patrol identified the militants and engaged them in a fierce battle.”
Wednesday’s shootout came just two weeks after a US strike killed more than 150 militants at a training camp where a large-scale attack was being planned.
“We knew they would be departing the camp and they posed an imminent threat to US and African Union forces,” said US Captain Jeff Davis.
