REPORT SAYS 47 AL-SHABAAB KILLED IN MANDERA BORDER

BY ADOW JUBAT

Aerial and ground Counter Terrorism operations inside Somalia killed 47 Somali militants on Tuesday as the Al-Qaeda inspired group renewed its hit and attacks in Northern Kenya in the last one week after months of a lull.

On Tuesday the terrorists had planted the bombs on a route often used by Kenya Security Forces patrol units stationed in Mandera.

Intelligence shows that the terrorists often detonate an IED to attract security response with the intent of blowing other bombs targeting those forces.

KDF and other security agencies in Kenya are currently conducting operations inside Somalia.
According to the intelligencebriefs.com during the operation targeting terror bases near Kenya/Somali border, ground troops intercepted elements of terror group al-Shabaab and killed three before arresting the fourth one.

In aerial bombardment of Gandodawo area inside Somali the unconfirmed report added destroyed five armored Toyota pick-up vehicles commonly known as techinicals. 

It n the aerial airstrikes, actual damage assessments showed that a terror forward base and its logistic resources were completely destroyed leading to killing of 47 militants using the bases and these resources during the air raid the reports further adds.

However, a freelance journalist based in Bulla-Hawa who declined to be named told the Standard on phone that there were no death neither casualties in airstrikes that hit Somali border areas between Irrida, Gadondawo  and Elma’an about 15 kilometers from Bulla-Xawa town.

Kenya has intensified counter terrorism operations against Somali terror group Haraka al-Shabaab al-Mujahedeen since 2011 when the country sent its military personnels inside Somalia thus making the group weakling.

On Tuesday night hours after an aborted explosion attacks in Mandera 4 people were killed, while three other were seriously injured in an attack linked to the Somali based al-Shabaab militia in North-Eastern border town of Wajir on Tuesday night.

The attack that rocked Bulla Burwaqo, a village located 4 kilometers to west Wajir police station, bolts the prevailing lull from such attacks enjoyed by the residents of the town.

The last such attack occurred on September last year and left three fatalities on its trail.

Confirming the incident to the Standard on phone from Wajir the area County police Commander Samuel Mukindia said the deceased were burnt beyond recognition, after the premises they were in caught fire from explosives hurled at by the attackers.

He “The assailants lobbed explosives at the building, which was serving as enjoined goods and Mpesa shop killing four people and wounding 3 others who were inside the shop at the time of the raid. The victims were killed in the ensuing burning of the shop”,

Mukindia said the assailants who were numbering about 4 – 6 according to the eye witnesses were all armed with guns and explosives adding that they shot at shoppers who were at the premises indiscriminate before hurling the impaction incendiaries at the shop as they retreat.

”We don’t know the motive and identity of the attackers since nobody has claimed responsibility so far, but the attacks bear the hallmarks of previous attacks in the town and other parts of the region, which al-Shabaab has claimed responsibilities”, He noted.

The premise caved into smoldering debris due to the impacts of the explosive used against.

The County police chief said among those who sustained injuries is a teenage girl who was selling the shop at the time of incident.

The police boss said the attacker changed tactics by moving to areas less expected of been target, after intensified combined security patrols made difficulty for the criminals to carry any of their heinous attacks in the town.

He said a combined security team led by the Kenya Defense Force (KDF) from Wajir military are pursuing the fleeing assailants adding that they were confidence they will caught up with them soon.

The attack occurs hours after suspected Al-Shabaab militants had set three IEDs at border point three, a place where police patrolling the common border with Somalia take guard from.

The scene of the Mandera explosion is about six kilometers from the KDF camp where Interior coordination secretary in charge of security Victor Okioma arrived Mandera to assess the security situation in the border county held a meeting with area top security chiefs.

Mandera East Deputy County Commissioner Elvis Korir who confirmed the incident said one of the IED planted in the area went off; the other two were detonated by anti terror police a few minutes later after the explosion.

Nobody was injured in the incident and no arrests have been made in connection to the incident.

Area security agents have made several arrests on criminals terrorizing residents, after last year’s bus attack where 28 people were killed by Al-Shabaab, three key suspects were apprehended and after Friday’s attack of one of area governor’s security vehicle where three people were killed a person has since been arrested and is helping police with investigations.

Mandera county commissioner Alex Nkoyo on Monday, said police are searching for a vehicle which was used to ferry criminals who killed one person on Sunday night where three others were critically injured.