Friday, November 30, 2012
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A video that appears to show Kenyan troops beating militant suspects has opened the force to criticism from al-Qaeda-linked militants who are known for carrying out harsh punishments like stonings, amputations and beheadings.
An al-Shabab spokesman claimed on Twitter that a video obtained by a Kenyan TV station shows Kenyan troops abusing Muslims. The spokesman said the video shows that Kenyan troops are waging war on Islam.
Kenyan military spokesman Col. Cyrus Oguna said Thursday that investigations are being conducted to find out the identity of the men in the video. Soldiers surround two suspects and beat them with sticks while asking questions about al-Shabab in Swahili, the main language spoken in Kenya.
Kenya sent troops to Somalia last year to pursue al-Shabab rebels after a wave of cross-border attacks.