Kenyan military prepares for Kismayo offensive

June 22, 2012

  • 5 comments
  • Print
  • Reset Decrease Increase

The Kenyan military, backed by pro-government militias, are gearing up for the offensive to capture the Somali city of Kismayo, Kenya's Daily Nation reported Thursday (June 21st).

"It will not be difficult to capture Kismayo," said Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, leader of the Raskamboni Brigade militia that is fighting alongside the Kenyan military. "[Al-Shabaab fighters] are on the run, morale is low and it is only a matter of time before they are completely expelled from southern Somalia."

An exact timeline has not been released publicly but Kenya Defence Forces head General Julius Karangi and Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga have said the port city will fall by August.

Senior al-Shabaab leaders, especially the foreign fighters who offered financial and logistical support to the group, have reportedly left Kismayo, heading north toward Somaliland or crossing the sea to Yemen.

Head of Kenyan forces in Afmadow Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Nyaga said that no advances would be made on Kismayo before the security of Afmadow, which was captured in late May, is clearly established.

"Kismayo is important and we will move there. But the operation will be intelligence-driven," he said. "First, we have to make sure we have eliminated any threat from al-Shabaab in the areas we have liberated."

What do you think of this article? (TOTAL VOTES: 40)

Dislike_icon(6)

(Comment Policy) *Denotes Required Field

Reader's Comments

  • wycliffe onyango
    September 3, 2012 @ 10:20:15AM

    KEEP ON WITH THAT GUNG-HO ATTITUDE.

  • khamisi
    June 24, 2012 @ 01:02:07AM

    This news I believe is quite relieving to the people of kismayo, somalia, kenya and the rest of the world, especially to those who believe in peaceful coexistence. As these plans go on and ultimately executed, I pray for the safety of the people of Kismayo: may Allah secure them from the hands of self seekers who use religion for self aggrandisement.

  • Omandi
    June 23, 2012 @ 08:15:07AM

    I''m happy to write here that we as Kenyans are very very proud of the aproach and progress our forces are making in Somali.Congratulations our boys and girls in uniform... We know our military has chosen a very slow,difficult and dangerous aproach to the war in Somali,Ulike what the Western forces have done in Iraq,libya and Afghanstan....That is why the Kenyan forces are in a class of their own. Don't worry about the sacarstic comments from Western media and their commentators who never put you on their headlines..,finally when the war is over and history is written,we shall live peacefully with our Somali brothers and sisters without looking back over our shoulders..,the world will marvel why Somali never turned out like Afghanistan or Libya.You are the best..you are living legends.. You could have chosen the easy way out like what the French forces did in Libya..,bombing anything and evrything on site and fly back to the safety of your barracks in Kenya....but NO!You are in Somali not to kill but bring peace,not to bring war but stop the war,not to divide the country but build a stable neighbour.LOOONG LIVE KENYA,LOOONG LIVE OUR MILITARY,LOOONG LIVE PEACE!!!

  • Ndemomandi
    June 23, 2012 @ 07:05:05AM

    Yes!Yes! and Yes!!!.Moving forward without pacifying the taken areas will be planning to fail.Peace is not cheap and for the umpteenth time,let the world know that Kenyan miltary is in a class of its own and it works professionally as per the UN Charter. Look at what the Western Armies did in Libya,Iraq and afghanistan!- always in a hurry to drop their huge bombs -sometimes on poor civilian villages and fly back to the safety of their bases leaving behind huge smokes of destruction,death and above all hate..and at times even civil wars.Imagine if the Kenyan army had the kind of financial resources the armies of western countries enjoy! In line with our peaceful foreign policy,the Kenyan army is eliminating the Alshabab threat but at the sametime giving innocent Somalis a chance start their lives afresh and pick the pieces.At the end of the war,we as Kenyans will still be proud to be associated with the progress and prosperity of our brothers and sisters across the border in Somalia. Long live Kenya...viva Kenyan forces wherever you are.We are very very proud of what you are doing.

  • kevin getonto otwori
    June 23, 2012 @ 04:56:50AM

    i like that but pliz you should be carefull not to hurm those innocent people like children.

Latest News

In the Spotlight

Al-Shabaab leader dodges criticism in latest audio message to followers

Police arrest suspected al-Shabaab members during a security sweep in Mogadishu in October 2012. [Abdurashid Abdulle Abikar/AFP]

Ahmed Abdi Godane repeated his usual themes yet failed to address the criticism he is facing from a growing number of other top al-Shabaab leaders.

Subscribe

Poll

Do you think Tanzania's ban on religious hate speech will stop attacks against churches and mosques?

View results