Saturday February 20, 2016
By Dominic Wabala
A file photo of Kenya Defence Forces soldiers in Somalia.
Al Shabaab bomb expert Maalim Sheriff was among 20 militants killed on Thursday night when KDF struck a training camp in Sidimo aka Cacama in Gedo region, Somalia.Spokesman David Obonyo said Maalim had been the architect of several explosions in Gedo region and the IED expert for al Shabaab's Abdi Zubeir that operates in Gedo.
"Among the dead is Sheriff, who was the main target. Many others escaped with multiple injuries," Obonyo said in a statement on Friday.
He said 16 AK 47 rifles, six explosives, two pistols, eight RPGS, bullets and global positioning system gadgets were found in the strike.Obonyo assured the public the operations against the terrorists will continue.
KDF earlier reported killing Mohammed Karatey aka Mahat Karatey, who headed al Shabaab's intelligence wing, in a major strike on Nadaris camp in Somalia last Monday.
The Defence ministry said KDF soldiers under Amisom killed the commander, who was also the militant group's deputy commander, alongside 10 other mid-level commanders.
The ministry said it is believed Karatey played a key role in the January 15 attack on a camp in El Adde that left dozens of Kenya Defence Forces soldiers dead and some reportedly captured.
But al Shabaab said the commander was still alive.
Sheikh Abiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's military operation spokesman, said the group's fighters were targeted by a bombing, but that Karatey was alive.