Somalia: Airstrikes injure two children in Gedo region 23 Aug 23, 2012 - 10:18:29 AM
BARDHERE, Somalia Aug 23 2012 (Garowe Online) – Air strikes reportedly by Kenyan aircraft in the southern town of Bardhere injured two children Thursday afternoon, Garowe Online reports.
The town of Bardhere located in the region of Gedo is controlled by Al Shabaab and has been a target by the allied forces for quite some time.
According to a resident of Bardhere who spoke to GO under anonymity the airplanes circled Bardhere many times before pounding the town with airstrikes Thursday afternoon.
“The planes circled us many times before they hit the town. There were a great deal of airstrikes that were very powerful but they hit mostly the outskirts of the town,” said the resident.
Al Shabaab has not commented about the airstrikes in the district of Bardheere and it is still unclear how many casualties were sustained in the strikes.
Residents fear more airstrikes in the district and are on high alert as residents worry there will be more civilian casualties in repeated strikes.
Over close to a year that the Kenyan military has been involved in the fight against Al Shabaab in southern Somalia the military has used airstrikes many times in the region however two major districts in Gedo remain in control of Al Shabaab.
The Kenyan military has not responded to the alleged airstrikes. Nor has the Somali government which is in the middle of elections.
The Kenyan military which were integrated into African Union forces have had difficulty capturing the region of Gedo and have had very little advancement in the region.
