Intensive fighting is underway between Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Al Shabaab insurgents who attacked the Kdf controlled camp in Kulbiyow, Lower Juba in Somali on Friday at dawn.
Kdf spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paul Njuguna denied claims by insurgents to be in control of the camp. He however confirmed aerial and ground reinforcement has been deployed to pacify the military base.
“Currently, an intensive pacification operation is underway reinforced by our air and land forces. It is important to note that the information being peddled by terrorists on social media is false and part of their propaganda,” Colonel Njuguna said.
Njuguna said the militants tried to access the camp using a (Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) but that Kenyan soldiers fiercely engaged them In January 2016, al Shabaab said it had killed more than 100 Kenyan soldiers in El Adde, a Somali camp near the border with Kenya.
The Kenyan military is yet to give details of casualties but media reports suggested a toll of that magnitude. Kdf operating under Amisom forces has overtime subdued the AlShabaab terrorist in the southern sector of Somalia.
In February last year, a wanted Al Shabaab top commander was killed alongside ten middle level commanders and 42 recruits during airstrikes attack by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) operating under the umbrella of AMISOM in Somalia.
Mahad Mohammed Karatey, alias Mahat Karate was killed when he attended a graduation ceremony of 80 militants inside Somalia. Mahad is believed to be the mastermind of the KDF camp attack at El Adde.
In 2015, Mohamed Mohamud, alias Dulyadin alias Gamadhere alias Sheikh Mahamad one of themost wanted Al Shabaab commanders linked to the Garissa University attack that left 148 is suspected was killed by a US drone attack in Jubaland area.
In 2014, Ahmed Abde Godane, the leader of the Al-Shabaab militant group believed to have been behind Westgate shopping mall massacre that left over 67 people dead.
Intelligence reports show Gamadhere used to be in Somalia and was a former teacher at a Madrassa in Northern Kenya.
