Somalia: Kenya says its military killed 5 militants

LAMU, Kenya - Kenyan military on Monday killed five Al-Shabaab militants in the coastal Lamu region, an official confirmed.

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) spokesman David Obonyo said six AK-47 rifles, 321 rounds of ammunition, three grenades were also recovered in an operation in the vast Boni forest, which the Al-Qaida allied militants have been using as their hideout for launching attacks.

"The soldiers who have been tracking the terrorists laid an ambush in the Bodheri area of Lamu County," Obonyo said. "The terrorists killed are part of the group that has been terrorizing peace-loving citizens in the area."

The military appealed to the local population to report any suspicious individuals with injuries and those seeking medical attention.

"KDF assures the public that tracking of the rest of the terrorists will continue until the area is free from all security threats posed by this group," Obonyo said.

Security officials say Al-Shabaab militants have changed tactics and resorted to using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to attack some parts of Kenya's coastal and northeast regions.

Authorities say the IEDs planted along the roads near Kenya-Somalia border are slowing down operations to flush out militants hiding in the Boni forest near the Somali border.

Source: Xinhua