Amisom soldiers in Dayniile district of
Mogadishu, Somalia
By PATRICK MAYOYO & NYAMBEGA GISESA
Daily Nation
Reports identified the commander who was killed as Abdikadir Duecsane.
Military sources told the Nationthat he was among Al-Shabaab fighters fleeing Kismayu to neighbouring towns. The missile strikes also hit Jilip another town near Kismayu.
Amisom troops are massing near Kismayu for the final onslaught to expel Al-Shabaab from their remaining stronghold.
Seven Al-Shabaab fighters, including a senior commander, have been killed in an Amisom raid.
The missile strikes on Kismayu by Kenya Navy vessels, came as African Union forces stepped up efforts to capture Kismayu, the militants’ only remaining base in southern Somalia.
Reports identified the commander who was killed as Abdikadir Duecsane.
Military sources told the Nation that he was among Al-Shabaab fighters fleeing Kismayu to neighbouring towns. The missile strikes also hit Jilip another town near Kismayu.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman Col Cyrus Oguna confirmed Tuesday’s Amisom attacks against Al- Shabaab bases.
“The attacks that took place as from 10.30 to 11.30 in the morning targeted a strategic militant base and killed seven people,” he said.
Col Oguna said that it was still not very clear whether Duecsane was among those killed, but independent reports from Somalia confirmed that the Al-Shabaab commander had been killed.
During the attack, military equipment belonging to the militants, including missile launchers, technicals (vehicles mounted with machine guns), guns and ammunition, were destroyed.
Amisom troops are massing near Kismayu for the final onslaught to expel Al-Shabaab from their remaining stronghold. (READ: Residents flee Kismayu as KDF plans onslaught)
The Kenyan contingent of Amisom troops, supported by attack helicopters and naval ships, have reached Harbole, a town near Kismayu.
The troops are said to be waiting for approval from their commanders before pushing into Kismayu.
The allied forces have since Friday attacked Al-Shabaab strongholds near the city forcing the Al-Qaeda-linked militia to flee to other areas.
Military sources told the Nation that the Kenyan troops, which are in charge of Sector II, are facilitating the ground attack from the south as well as a naval assault while Ugandan and Burundian contingents were moving in more ground troops from Mogadishu.
The commanders at the weekend attended a series of meetings at the Karen Staff Training College in Nairobi and flew back to Somalia.
British experts are said to have facilitated the meetings also attended by the Amisom Commander, Lt-Gen Andrew Gutti.
Earlier last week, Amisom spokesperson Eloi Yao told the Nation that the battle for Kismayu was being delayed by the deployment of fresh troops to lead the assault.
In recent months, the Kenya Navy has attacked Kismayu in “shaping-up operations”, which are meant to soften targets and destroy key installations that the enemy forces could use to resist attacks.
The Kenya Army has deployed its troops from most of its branches, which include infantrymen, armour, engineers, ordnance, medical corps, signals, transport, air cavalry and artillery.
Meanwhile, KDF is still carrying out search and rescue operations for its missing men following Friday’s battle that captured Miido Town between Afmadow and Kismayu.
Three of the five who had initially gone missing were rescued on Saturday, but two are unaccounted for.
On the same day, Al-Shabaab displayed bodies of four soldiers believed to include the two missing Kenyans in the streets of Kismayu.
Source: Daily Nation
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