The Star
Friday, March 23, 2012
Kenya Defence Forces and Somalia Transitional Federal Government
troops yesterday intercepted a convoy of nine trucks loaded with sugar
and other contraband smuggled into the country through Liboi.
Twenty
one Somali men who were traveling in the trucks with Somalia
registration numbers were also arrested. The security forces received
a tip off from intelligence teams monitoring movements along the
common Kenya/ Somalia border.
A senior military operative
yesterday confirmed that the trucks loaded with sugar and other
assorted contraband goods were intercepted in Dadajabula area near the
Kenya/ Somalia border as they were being driven towards Liboi on the
Kenyan side at about 10.30 am. " KDF and their TFG counterparts on
patrol within the Dadajabula area acting on intelligence from both
countries intercepted nine trucks ferrying sugar and assorted
contraband goods into Kenya yesterday morning. Twenty one male adults
who were traveling in the vehicles were also arrested and escorted to
Liboi police station where they are being held," a senior security
official privy to the arrests said.
"Operation Linda Nchi'
spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir through his twitter confirmed the incident
saying it is a shame that unscrupulous business people were smuggling
sugar into the country to fund al Shabaab insurgents. The Kenya military
officers have intensified patrols along the border since troops were
deployed to Somalia in October in pursuit of the al Shabaab insurgents
following the kidnapping of tourists and foreign aid workers. Kenya
has been fighting the terror group in the Lower Juba with the intention
of capturing Kismayu port which is used by the militia to smuggle
contraband goods. The goods are sold both in Somalia and Kenya to fund
the war against the UN-backed Transitional Federal Government.
Meanwhile,
the military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir has termed as propaganda
allegations by Al Shabaab that its fighters have recaptured Diif and
Dusmareeb areas which are being held by the AMISOM troops. Chirchir
said that the troops were in high spirits and determined to rid the war
torn country of fighters from the insurgent group who have been
terrorizing Somalia nationals for a long time.