Joy as Somali pirate kidnap victim arrives back in Kenya

Monday, February 22, 2016

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There were tears of joy at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Sunday following the return of a man who had been held by Somali pirates for 15 months.

James Gashamba was kidnapped alongside his friend, Loice Njoki, at Adado town in Somalia on November 24, 2014 as they conducted their normal business of selling herbal medicine.

Gashamba, who was rescued on Thursday when local forces raided the kidnappers' hideout, said that they had lived in caves and forests during his 15 months in captivity.

The abductors were said to have links with al-Shabaab, a terrorist group which has conducted massive kidnappings on the border towns of Garissa, Mandera and Wajir over the years.

The most recent incident was reported in October last year, when they kidnapped a female teacher at Dadaab in Garissa County.

The teacher was, however, rescued a few days later by Kenya Defence Forces soldiers who also killed her abductors.

In July, KDF soldiers also rescued two Administration Police officers who had been abducted in Garissa County in 2013.

Fredrick Chirchir and Joseph Wambugu were kidnapped during an ambush on their camp on May 25, 2013 and were rescued on June 25.

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