Saturday November 21, 2015
By Bernardine Mutanu
Kenya Defence Forces at Nyali bridge on their way to Boni forest, Lamu. The terror group was believed to use the forest to launch attacks on Kenyans as well as a conduit for new recruits to join the group in Somalia.
Six Al-Shabaab camps have been destroyed in the past two months and an assortment of weapons recovered during the ongoing ‘Operation Linda Boni’.
But as the government enumerated strides it has made in the war against the Al-Shabaab along the coastal strip, Police spokesman, Mr Charles Owino, advised citizens to be extra vigilant as new intelligence reports indicated that the militants have sneaked into the towns of Mandera, Garissa and Wajir.
“Following sustained pressure by our gallant soldiers in Somalia, we have intelligence that they are sneaking into our northern towns.”
“We urge Kenyans at large to be alert and identify strangers moving into their villages and towns and report them to the police or any security agency,” added Mr Owino.
He said destruction of the camps was a big step in the war against terrorism.
The terror group was believed to use the forest to launch attacks on Kenyans as well as a conduit for new recruits to join the group in Somalia.
Two Tanzanians, Mr Masoud Khamis and Mr Twaha Rashid, were arrested last month while they were on their way to Somalia to join the terror group.
They have already been charged in court.
“Security agencies also recovered weapons that were stolen by the Al-Shabaab during the Mpeketoni attacks,” Mr Owino said during a press conference, adding that movement of members of the terror group in the forest have been ‘deterred and disrupted’.
Three airstrips in Hulugo, Kiunga and Budhei are earmarked for renovation, according to the spokesman.
“Soon deputy commissioners will be posted in Lamu West, Lamu East, Hulugo and Ijara.”