Monday November 30, 2015
By Stephen Astariko
TARGETED: Wajir town and its outskirts on March 31, where security personnel repulsed al Shabaab militants on Friday.
CALM has been restored at the border town of Konton in Wajir county after 12 suspected members of al Shabaab invaded the area and allegedly lectured residents on Friday night.A contingent of security officers, including Kenya Defence Forces personnel based at Gerille, 12km from the town, swung into action and pushed the militants back into Somalia.The militants are said to have crossed into the area at 8pm from Daresalam town, which is seven kilometres from the Kenya-Somalia border.
They allegedly hoisted a black flag at a chief’s office after removing the Kenyan one.
But Northeastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh denied they hoisted a flag and described the invasion a “minor one”.
“The military officers stationed at Gerille quickly responded and in less than 20 minutes, the militias had been repulsed,” he said.
Saleh said it was impossible for the militants to hoist a flag in 20 minutes.
He said normalcy has returned.
Saleh said he contacted the Somali National Army and urged it to immediately take over Daresalam town, which is still under the militia’s control, or the Kenyan forces will storm it.
The incident comes a month after the militants took over Auasquran centre in Somalia, five kilometres from Konton.
Northeastern, which has borne the brunt of terror attacks since 2011, has enjoyed peace for the past seven months.
The last major attack was at Garissa University College on April 2, where 148 people were killed.
The government made a raft of changes after the attack, including posting new security chiefs.