Kenyan forces ready for AMISOM mission

KBC
Saturday, March 10, 2012

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The Kenyan troops engaged in battle to flush out the Al-Shabaab militia in Somalia are set join the African Union Mission on Somalia (AMlSOM) command in a week's time.

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) operation in Somalia spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna says strategies are being crafted for a suitable KDF command transition.

Oguna who was issuing the weekly update on Operation Linder Nchi that has lasted for five months now gave relatives of the troops on the battle field a reason to smile following plans by the defense to send another force to relieve the current one.

It's however now remains unknown for how long the Kenyan troops would remain in Somalia after the expiry of the current mandate that ends in October this year.

Meanwhile, the Al-Shabaab militia group is on the dead end as KDF intensifies the operation to dethrone the Al Qaeda linked terror group from the Southern parts of Somalia.

The infighting between the local and foreign fighters emanating from scramble for control of scarce resources and leadership wrangles continue to tear the already weakened insurgents group apart.

Colonel Cyrus Oguna said that the insurgents have lost their life line after loss of their key sources of revenues.

He said that the KDF soldiers continued with combat and pacification operations to alienate the insurgents from the key towns where they extort money from traders and locals to sustain themselves.

"The fall of town of Baidoa and capture of Hosgow town which was conduit town for contraband goods on their way to Kenya was a major economic blow to the insurgents," noted Col. Oguna.

Col. Oguna pointed out that these are the towns where charcoal trade, another key source of revenue took place and their capture has caused radical Islamists substantial economic casualties.

He said that the KDF raided Al-shabaab logistics base near Gerrile town where three Al-shabaab fighters were eliminated, five AK 47 assaulted riffles were recovered and communication equipment destroyed.

He also said that troops launched air strikes in Aglibax South of Afmadhow where they destroyed four technical vehicles belonging to the Al-shabaab remnants and eliminated four Al-shabaab adherents.

Oguna pointed that heavy loss of personnel and command structures breakdown due to killings of senior commanders of Al-Shabaab by KDF as well as in infightings has paralyzed the terror group which he said is operating on guerrilla techniques.

He however said that the troops will intensify combat and pacification operations to seal off the insurgents from accessing logistics which will further weaken the ill coordinated fighters.

Oguna announced that the KDF is now officially operating under and within the mandate of African Union Mission on Somalia (AMlSOM) but noted that the command structure has not changed.

He said the decision to extend the stay of KDF in the war-ravaged country will be determined by the AMISOM on grounds of the escalating conditions. "It is the mandate of AMISOM to determine when we shall leave the country," he added.

"The AMISOM and UN Security Council has taken over the peace enforcement activities in the war-ton country and our stay there is a part of international community working to restore peace in the lawless Country," added Col. Oguna.

Speaking at the same venue, Deputy Police Spokesman Charles Owino said extra Anti-terrorism police officers have been deployed along borders to deter infiltration of the insurgents in the country.

He said that surveillance has been beefed up saying that the imminence of attacks was still rife. He urged Kenyans to remain vigilant and report any suspicious characters to authorities.

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