KDF forces ambush Al-Shabaab in Mandera near Somalia border

MANDERA, Kenya - The Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] troops on Saturday ambushed Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera North Constituency just days after Governor Ali Roba called for reinforcement from the national government over Al-Shabaab resurgence in the region.

Reports indicate that the troops killed one of the militants besides capturing another in an encounter that lasted for several minutes in the porous region. The operation took place between Guticha and Olla village in Mandera North according to reports.

After the incident, the Special Forces displayed the body of the militant and the man who was arrested for photo taking session. The captive will now be subjected to military court for trial, which is often done in high secrecy in accordance with KDF regulations.

The northeastern part of Kenya has been struggling with the Al-Shabaab threat for several years now and efforts to defeat the militants seem to have hit a snug. The militants, Governor Roba said, have taken charge of close to 60 percent of Mandera's landmass, adding that there is a need for urgent government intervention.

But Nairobi refuted claims by Roba, arguing that the terror threat has been significantly reduced by the authorities, given the fewer cases of terrorism last year. The government insists that the activities of Al-Shabaab in Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa have been thwarted.

Currently, there is a team of the Special Forces working in the region, with some operating from various Forward Operating Bases, including the recently launched Modika Barracks in Garissa. The station gives cover-up for the KDF soldiers working in Somalia.

Last year, the US Africa Command made a formal request to the Department of Defense to start carrying out airstrikes in northeastern Kenya but President Uhuru Kenyatta dismissed the approach. The US has withdrawn its troops from Somalia but has been carrying out airstrikes.

GAROWE ONLINE