The Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy have been patrolling the skies above Kismayu and the sea.
As a result, operations at the busy port has significantly reduced over the last four weeks.
Air force pilots told the Nation on Wednesday after conducting aerial surveillance that five ships that had been docked at the port had departed leaving behind a few sailing boats and skiffs.
Al-Shaabab has mainly relied on millions of dollars they collect from the ships that dock at the port.
The ships bring in sugar and electronics which are mainly smuggled into Kenya. They take out charcoal destined for the Middle East.
The militants also collect revenue from fishermen in Ras Kamboni and Bur Gabo.
On Wednesday, Operation Linda Nchi also scored a major victory on the diplomatic front after the African Union backed the war against the militants and expressed confidence that it would succeed.
Speaking in Nairobi, the AU special envoy to Somalia, Mr Jerry Rawlings, praised the discipline of Kenyan troops saying it had been tested during various UN missions they had undertaken around the world.
“We are ready to support Kenya in its efforts and we have no doubt it will succeed. It had been provoked enough and its decision to take action was justified,” he said at the Department of Defence headquarters where he met Defence Minister Yusuf Haji.
The capture of Kismayu is considered the ultimate goal of the operation to flush the al-Shaabab out of southern Somalia, from where it has been launching incursions into Kenyan territory.
Progress towards Kismayu has been hampered by rain in the Southern Sector. The al-Shaabab have also been flushed out of Ras Kamboni, Bur Gabo and Kolbio towns.
Rawlings speaks
In Nairobi, Mr
Rawlings appealed to the Kenyan forces and Amisom troops to exercise
professionalism so as to reduce civilian casualties as they intensify
the operation to defeat the radical Islamist group.
The former Ghanaian president also called on Somali leaders residing in Kenya to tone down rhetoric which could inflame passions.
“I urge the politicians to instead offer guidance to their people in Somalia so that the solution can be found faster,” he said.
He defended Prime Minister Raila Odinga against
criticism following his announcement last week that Kenya had secured
Israel’s support in the operation, saying the comments had been taken
out of context.
“We in the AU understood the Kenyan PM to have been simply calling for
support to combat terrorism in the world and especially on Israel’s
technical help on the home ground,” he said.
Kenyan troops patrol the Liboi border with Somalia. phOTO by monitor correspondent.