Kenya sends in troops to Somalia in pursuit of al-Shabaab militants

Daniel Howden
The Independent
October 17, 2011

Kenya has declared war on a Somali Islamist group and its army yesterday crossed into southern Somalia to pursue al-Shabaab, which it blames for a series of kidnappings inside its territory.

Kenyan tanks, troops, trucks and air support were seen inside its northern neighbour a day after the country’s Internal Security Minister labelled al-Shabaab “the enemy” vowed to set up a “buffer zone” north of its border. There were also reports of US drone attacks on suspected militant training camps in Ras Kamboni, a coastal forest near the border with Kenya.

The biggest military action in Kenya’s recent history comes five years after Ethiopia invaded Somalia with US approval and air support – an action that ended in ignominious withdrawal and helped to create al-Shabaab in its current form.

Kenyan forces entered an area of southern Somalia where they have previously been supporting at least two Somali militia groups fighting al-Shabaab for territory. However, Nairobi appears to have decided that its proxy war across the border was not working and has sent an occupation force instead.

Read full report here

This article was posted: Monday, October 17, 2011 at 7:35 am

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