KDF kills 40 Shabaab, captures commander

Monday March 21, 2016

KDF soldiers patrol Tabda village, 80km from the Kenya- Somalia border on February 20, 2012. Forty al Shabaab fighters and two Kenya Defence Forces soldiers were killed at the weekend in two separate incidents of fighting between Amisom troops and militants in Somalia /REUTERS

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Forty al Shabaab fighters and two KDF soldiers were over the weekend killed in two separate incidents.

This was after a fight between Amisom troops and militants from the Al Qaeda-linked terror group in Somalia.

Five KDF soldiers were also seriously injured when al Shabaab militants ambushed a KDF convoy between Qoqani and Afmadhow in Lower Jubba on Saturday afternoon.

KDF spokesman Col David Obonyo said 21 al Shabaab fighters were killed during the Saturday ambush in which the attackers used improvised explosive devices to blow up a KDF Armoured Personnel Carrier.

He said a convoy of KDF enroute to Afmadhow engaged the militants, who had laid an ambush.

“During the fierce engagement, they overpowered al Shabaab militants resulting to use of improvised explosive devices, damaging one of the vehicles," Obonyo said.

"Twenty-one militants were killed, 19 AK 47 rifles, three rocket propelled grenades and a pistol were recovered. Regrettably, KDF suffered two fatalities and five injuries.”

Somalia media said the ambush happened in Hayo, about 25km from Dhobley town. They also claimed four KDF soldiers were killed.

On Sunday, KDF soldiers operating in Ras Kamboni, killed 13 al Shabaab fighters and arrested a middle-level commander in yet another confrontation with the insurgent group.

KDF soldiers operating in Sarira in Lacta Belt about 30km North of Ras Kamboni pursued the militants who had been intending to carry out an attack.

They recovered eight AK 47 rifles, two PKM machine guns, two rocket propelled grenades and assorted ammunition.

Last Wednesday, KDF sodiers killed nineteen suspected militants, who had attempted to attack their camp in Somalia's town of Afmadhow shortly after midnight.

KDF soldiers also destroyed a machine gun mounted vehicle, popularly referred to as 'technical' and seized 10 AK 47 rifles and three rocket propelled grenades from the attackers.

Obonyo said KDF soldiers on patrol in Afmadhow in Lower Juba stumbled upon the attackers near the Amisom and Somalia National Army camps and altered their colleagues.

"The al Shabaab terrorists had approached the camp at night with intent to attack and cut off the SNA from Amisdom camp. KDF soldiers on patrol identified engaged them in a fierce battle," he said.

"Al Shabaab attempted to fight back but were swiftly repulsed by the KDF soldiers on patrol and those in the camp. Following the incident, 19 militants were killed and one technical vehicle destroyed. Some arms and ammunition recovered include 10 AK47 rifles and three rocket propelled grenades."

Al Shabaab militants attacked a KDF camp in El Adde on January 15 and killed

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