Kenya denies Al-Shabaab claims, saying 21 militants killed in S. Somalia

Sunday March 20, 2016

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Kenya's military on Sunday denied Somali Al-Shabaab militant group's claims that they killed 12 of its soldiers during an ambush in in southern Somalia on Saturday.

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman David Obonyo said only two of its soldiers serving under the African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) were killed and five others injured during the 3.00 p.m. attack in Afmadow of Lower Juba Region.

Obonyo said the Kenyan soldiers, who were on a convoy enroute to Afmadow, instead killed 21 Al-Shabaab militants and recovered firearms and rocket propelled grenades during the attack.

"Regrettably, KDF suffered two fatalities and five injuries. The injured were evacuated and are receiving medical attention," said Obonyo.

On Saturday, the Al-Shabaab insurgents claimed to have killed 12 Kenyan soldiers and kidnapped two others during the ambush, adding that they also burned six armed military vehicles.

Kenya is currently engaged in the fight against the militant group in southern Somalia, which aims at destroying all defensive positions of the militants in the Horn of African nation.

Al-Shabaab has, however, vowed reprisal attacks in the country, mainly targeting security forces in border towns of northern Kenya.

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