Relatives bury KDF soldiers killed in Somalia

What you need to know:

  • Four bodies of the KDF soldiers were airlifted from Nairobi to Isiolo International Airport by a Kenya Army plane and were received by mourners.
  • Mr Kabelo and Ms Galgalo pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta to withdraw the soldiers from Somalia.

Three Kenya Defence Forces soldiers killed in the Kulbiyow Al-Shabaab attack were buried in an emotional send-off in Isiolo County.

Four bodies of the KDF soldiers were airlifted from Nairobi to Isiolo International Airport by a Kenya Army plane and were received by mourners.

One of the bodies was airlifted to neighbouring Marsabit County.

Sergeant Abdalla Aziz and Private Ido Kuno Ido, 29, were based in Mombasa.

Their bodies were taken to Tullo Roba Mosque in Isiolo for prayers before being buried.

Ms Ballaf Darimmo, a relative of Ido’s, said the Friday attack had left the family in grief.

Mr Mohammed Kanchoro, 23, a relative of Isiolo Woman Rep Tiyah Galgalo, who only joined the forces in 2014, was laid to rest at his home in Korbesa, Merti Sub-County.

Ms Galgalo, nominated Senator Fatuma Dhullo, gubernatorial aspirants Adan Kabelo and Abdul Bahari were among the politicians who received the bodies at the airport.

Mr Kabelo and Ms Galgalo pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta to withdraw the soldiers from Somalia.

They blamed the presence of Kenyan troops in the war-torn neighbouring country for the frequent attacks on military camps in Somalia and civilian targets in Kenya.

The leaders said the government ought to consider a strategy in the war against terrorism but first pull out the troops from Somalia.

Meanwhile, 11 relatives of Mr Konchoro were involved in an accident at Saleti, about 10km from Merti Town, as they headed for his burial in Korbesa.

The injured were airlifted to Isiolo Referral Hospital and St Theresa’s Mission Hospital, Kiirua, in Meru County.

Merti Deputy Commissioner Julius Maiyo said the family members were in a government Land Cruiser.