Kenyan army launched a full scale military offensive against the Al-Quaeda-linked terrorist group Al-Shabaab on Saturday. Kenyan infantry has so far reached about 100 KMs inside Somalia, as its air force continues to bomb ahead of it. The Kenyan Government declared its resolve ‘to fight Al-Shabaab to its logical conclusion’.
The Kenyans named the military assault "Operation Linda Nchi" (Operation Protect Kenya).
On Sunday, Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua confirmed that its troops are in southern Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab, noting that the latter is responsible for attacks on Kenyan territory, including the recent kidnapping four foreigners.
Earlier, in the weekend, the troops captured another key town, Qoqani, backed by heavy aerial and ground bombardment.
So far, Kenyan army confirmed a helicopter crash and death of five soldiers. However, the incident was blamed on technical fault and said to have taken place inside Kenyan border. Military Spokesman said, "It crashed while taking off and caught fire, all the five soldiers on board died. It was not brought down." Kenyan media reported that it was a China-made Dolphine helicopter and it exploded moments after takeoff about 500 metres from Liboi Airstrip, while taking missiles to the war front inside Somalia.
A certain Kenyan outlet reported that:
Somali’s ambassador to Kenya Mohammed Noor immediately condemned the attack adding “any attempted move to attack Somali’s sovereignty” in the name of Al Shabaab is "unacceptable." Noor said his country was saddened by the recent kidnappings of foreigners in the country said he also understood Kenya’s need to defend its territory and to pursue those who attacked its sovereignity.
He said his government was doing its best to fight Al Shabaab and had in the last two days launched “offensive raids” at Al Shabaab targets. He denied any knowledge of a ground offensive by Kenyan troops and said he was aware they were gathering along the border. Earlier yesterday, villagers close to the border had confirmed seeing Kenyan troops heading into Somali alongside the artillery of weapons and helicopters flying overhead.
However, Kenyan Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetanguela claimed that:"What we are doing is in pursuit of a request by the Government of Somalia, and also our own interest as a country to fight a group that is terror-based". Other news sources confirmed that the TFG has ‘endorsed’ the Kenyan military assault.
Defence Minister Haji reportedly said that Kenyan police and military forces will pursue the Somalia extremist group in its bases in the centre and south of the war-torn country to eliminate immediate security threats near the border and protect shipping lines in the Indian Ocean from pirates who operate with support of the terror group.
Kenya’s Internal Security Minister George Saitoti claimed that the operation a legitimate response of self-defence against "a chronology of provocation by Al-Shabaab."
After noting several attacks on Kenyan soil by Al-Shabaab and claiming to have received intelligence that Al-Shabaab "continued to recruit Kenyans into its ranks", the Interior Minister said that under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Kenyan forces will engage in security and military operations in "self-defence" and geared to "preventing aggression".
Al-Shabaab threatens revenge attacks
Al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage said, at a press conference, “The Kenyan forces have crossed about 100 kilometres deep into Somalia and in some cases their military aircraft have bombed inside Somalia. If they continue this way, they will regret and feel the consequences back home.”
As a message to the Kenyan people, Rage threatened, “Kenya has peace, its cities have tall buildings and business is booming there, while Somalia is in chaos. If your government ignores our calls to stop its aggression on Somali soil, we will strike at the heart of your interests”.
Similarly, a senior southern Al Shabaab leader, Hassan Turki, said that: "Kenya violated the territorial rights of Somalia by entering our holy land, but I assure you that they will return disappointed, God willing, ….Mujahideen fighters will force them to test the pain of the bullets …. I call on all Somalis to stand united against this blood-thirsty enemy that has crossed into our territories and the apostate Somali militants helping them."
Shabaab prepares to defend Afmadow town 
By Monday, Kenyan troops are reportedly close to the town of Afmadow, 100 KMs inside Somalia border, by Monday. However, Al-Shabaab is expected to challenge the Kenyans there.
Media reports claimed, citing residents of the Lower Juba region, southern Somalia, that ‘the bulk of the Somali government forces in alliance with combatants loyal to Ras Kamboni Brigade, clan-based moderate Islamists, are gradually moving towards Afmadow, the district headquarters under al Shabaab control.
A resident of the port town Kismayo was quoted by AFP as saying that: “I saw around 50 trucks and pickup trucks mounted with machine guns, with hundreds of fighters heading towards the Kenyan border.” Another AFP source claimed that “They have collected all weapons near Afgoye, and gathered hundreds of young fighters to face their enemy.” Al Shabaab commanders confiscated at least a hundred trucks late Sunday from the Lower Shabelle region, outside the capital Mogadishu, to transport gunmen southwards towards the battle zones, according to AFP’s sources.
Reuters quoted a Kismayo resident as saying that “All al Shabaab’s fighters and their armed vehicles in Kismayu have taken the road towards Afmadow”…“Al Shabaab have left only 10 fighters here… people are afraid here, they do not know what will happen,” he said. Kismayu is about 120km south of Afmadow.
Recent kidnappings
The latest kidnapping took place last Thursday, when two Spanish aid workers of MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres) were taken by gunmen from Dadaab refugee camp, eastern Kenya, after shooting their Kenyan driver in the neck. The Kenyan police blamed Al-Shabaab, though the latter denied any involvement. Dadaab refugee camp hosts close to 380,000 Somalian refugees and it is used as recruitment by various militant groups including the Ethiopian ONLF (Ogaden National Liberation Front).
There had been several kidnapping in recent weeks, including the abduction of a Kenyan driver working for Care Kenya. A Frenchwoman was kidnapped from her home near the resort town of Lamu on October 1. Earlier,Somali gunmen shot dead a British man and kidnapped his wife from a resort north of Lamu.
Kenyan officials also believe that Al-Shabaab to be holding two Kenyan soldiers, which it captured on July 24, were detained before being taken by their captors to the coastal town of Kismayu.
Though crossing the Somalian border is not an unprecedented for the Kenyan army, it had never confirmed such reports, apparently for fear of revenge attacks from Al-Shabaab and related terror groups.
It is to be recalled that, last year, Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for suicide attacks in central Kampala, Uganda, that killed at least 76 people watching World Cup games.
Sources: Capital FM News, The Standard, AFP, Reuters and others.
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Kenya amy we r pround go on with ur mission and bless u
The Kenya gov. ought to have traced first (with the help of somalia gov. forces) the whereabouts of kidnapped vitims before engaging in war.Dealing with somalis alshabab is not a joke with regard to thier nature of training experience and survival tactics.These guys may be hiding somewhere in the bush only to retaliate later.They understand their terrain well and how to manouver the foe (kenya forces).However with the support ot the international community kenya might succeed.The Kenyan forces should first hold their ground untill the wheather improves before advancing.In the mean time the gov. should recall thousands of retired forces to the military camp where they can undertake an induction course of a month and proceed to support their fellow soldiers.
Peter.k
The al shabaab must not forget the might and resolve of the kenyan people.We have been patient for a long time never wakeup a sleeping giant unless you wanna trouble.Which HOLYLAND are they talking about when in their hands several thousand somals have died.Let them stop the absurdity.
The world has only one sharp object;an object sharper than a needle; and that is a FOCUSED MIND.Kenya has been very patient focusing mostly on peace missions. It is high time wicked people feel side B of Kenya.