Kenyan, Somali Soldiers Gun down 13 Al-Shabaab Militants
At least 13 Al-Shabaab fighters have been killed including a top commander in the latest battle in the small town of Dalayat, North East of Badhade, a key transit point from the sea frequently used by the group to re-stock its military supplies,officials said on Wednesday.
Military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said Abu Yahya, who is Al Shabaab’s field commander in the Southern sector might have been killed by the Somali and Kenyan soldiers during an ambush at the militants camp in the area at 1300GMT on Tuesday.
“The joint operation between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) soldiers and the Kenya Defence Forces yesterday (Tuesday) might have killed one of Al Shabaab’s top Commanders during a raid at Dalayat in sector south,” Chirchir said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
Kenya launch cross incursion in Somalia on Oct.16, 2011 to subdue Al-Shabaab the east African nation blames for raids and kidnappings particularly on its northern region.
The latest development comes as Kenyan security forces at the border points are grappling with threats posed by the insurgents who have been laying landmines mainly targeting police and soldiers patrolling the Somalia border.
“During the attack, 13 Al-habaab militants were killed while others escaped with serious injuries. Eight machine guns were recovered during the attack,” Chirchir said.
Dalayat is a stronghold of Al-Shabaab and doubles up as their command centre for the southern region thus protecting Bula Haji.
Chirchir confirmed that two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers sustained minor injuries during the ambush carried out by the allied forces while the one who seriously injured is receiving treatment in Kenya.
“One of the KDF soldiers injured during the incident was flown to Garissa military camp for further medical attention while two others who had sustained minor injuries were treated and have since resumed duty,” Chirchir said.
The East African nation has been beset by a spate of grenade and landmine attacks since it launched cross border incursion into neighboring Somalia last month to pursue the al-Qaeda allied Al- Shabaab militant group.
The troops have since “liberated” several towns in Southern Somalia but the ultimate aim is to capture Kismayu, regarded as the nerve centre of Al-Shabaab’s operations in the region.