Al-Shabaab stage attack on Kenyan military base

Kenyan soldiers serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) during their patrol in Kismayu, Somalia in this file picture. Al-Shabaab attacked a Kenya Defence Forces base in Kismayu on Tuesday night. PHOTO | FILE 

In Summary

• KDF responded with heavy artillery, bombing the area where the gunshots originated from, and it was not immediately clear whether the militants were killed.
• The attack comes after last week’s major assault by KDF on Al-Shabaab base in Garbaharey in

By LUCAS BARASA
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KISMAYU,

Al-Shabaab attacked a Kenya Defence Forces base in Kismayu on Tuesday night.

However, the shooting was done aimlessly and did not cause any casualties among the forces working under the African Mission in Somalia (Amisom).

Lieutenant Colonel Chala Hassan, who is heading the forces in Kismayu, said the shots were aimed at provoking response from Kenyan forces.

KDF responded with heavy artillery, bombing the area where the gunshots originated from, and it was not immediately clear whether the militants were killed.

PROBING ATTACK
“What the Al-Shabaab did was what in military terms we call a probing attack done by two or three people to try and find location of the enemy. It was not decisive where sophisticated weapons are used with an aim of inflicting casualties,” a military source, who sought anonymity, told the Nation.

Lt Col Hassan said the attackers did not hit their target. “They have been launching such attacks once in a while,” he said.

The attack comes after last week’s major assault by KDF on Al-Shabaab base in Garbaharey in Gedo where more than 50 of the Al-Qaeda linked militants were killed.

KDF is in charge of Sector II and is set to relocate its forces from Gedo region, which borders Kenya. Gedo is to be manned by the Ethiopian military following reorganisation of forces expected in June.

Yesterday, the Nation visited Kismayu Port, Kismayu Airport and Kismayu Town where business is slowly resuming following the ejection of Al-Shabaab.

Jubba Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Jama Yassin said investors were venturing in the town and urged Kenyans to also invest there.

“They are using Kenyan and US currencies to do business as Somali currency has lost value,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jubbaland, which borders Kenya, has a new administration headed by former warlord Ahmed Madobe as President.

Lt Col Hassan said their mission was to ensure security in Somalia and Kenya among other neighbouring countries.