According to a communication from Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe, Kenya has deployed additional Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers to Somalia as part of its ongoing search, rescue, and recovery operation.
Troops from various KDF divisions across Kenya have been assembled and dispatched to Somalia to conduct operations targeting Al Shabaab bases in El Adde and other towns within the Gedo region.
Mission Objectives ¶
The primary objective of the deployed forces is to eliminate Al Shabaab militants and recover or destroy the military hardware looted by insurgents from KDF camps during the recent attack in El Adde.
"The latest ground troops from the infantry units, whose sole purpose is to fight and win land battles, are on their way to El Adde to reinforce several other soldiers currently engaging the militants in their hideouts near Gedo towns as fighter jets and attack helicopters continue to bombard the militants' targets in Gedo and Baay regions," said Mwathethe.
Military sources close to the operation in the Gedo region confirm that Al Shabaab militants have suffered significant casualties following airstrikes by KDF F-5 fighter jets and Z-9 gunship attack helicopters from the 50th Air-Cavalry battalion, which targeted their bases in five towns near El Adde and Gedo town.
Recent Developments ¶
These developments come just two days after the KDF announced the believed killing of the commander responsible for the El Adde attack in a series of air strikes conducted the previous Sunday.
During a press briefing, General Mwathethe stated that hundreds of Al Shabaab militants were also killed in these airstrikes.
Presidential Address ¶
Following a visit to injured KDF soldiers, President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation, dismissing calls for the withdrawal of troops from Somalia. He emphasized that Kenyan soldiers would remain in the country until peace and stability are achieved.
President Kenyatta appealed to the international community for support of AMISOM and KDF efforts to bring peace to Somalia, stressing that regional peace is crucial for global peace.
The President urged Kenyans and the opposition CORD coalition to stand in solidarity with the KDF, asserting that Kenya’s resolve would not be swayed by the attack at El Adde.
Opposition Support ¶
CORD leader Raila Odinga expressed his support for the KDF, emphasizing the necessity of stopping Al Shabaab and other terrorist groups at all costs.
Odinga, while paying tribute to the soldiers killed at El Adde, advocated for a united front against Al Shabaab, suggesting that the battle should be taken to the group’s stronghold.
"We may not agree on how best to fight Al Shabaab and secure our land, but we are in agreement that the terror groups are bad for Kenya, they are bad for Somalia, and they are bad for the whole world."
The deployment of KDF to Somalia in 2011 was initially framed as a protective measure for Kenya’s sovereignty.
