Somalia-based al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab
 ...... al-Qaeda's tentacle in East Africa...
Lions of Islam have reportedly seized a base that was recently handed over by the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] to the Somali National Army [SNA], in what could slow down the ongoing strategic withdrawal of the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] troops.
In a statement, the group, through its media team al-kataib, claimed that Gherille Forward Operating Base [FOB] was officially retaken from SNA troops who were manning it after intensive fighting. The claims could, however, not be verified independently despite the group providing photos to justify its claims.
The shootout, al-Shabaab claimed, left at least three people dead, as the Lions of Islam ran over the base which could be strategic to their cowardly attacks within Jubaland. Gherille Forward Operating Base was under the KDF team which handed it over about three weeks ago.
Security analysts insist that the takeover could trigger more al-Shabaab attacks on Kenyan soil given that the base is located about 12 kilometers from the Kenya-Somalia border. In recent weeks, Kenya has been witnessing increased al-Shabaab activities, especially in Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa.
KDF has established 14 Forward Operating Bases along the Kenya-Somalia border due to ongoing withdrawal from Somalia, with the soldiers expected to be stationed along the border. Chief of Defense Forces Gen Francis Ogolla visited troops serving in ATMIS and along the border for morale boosting.
Recently, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convinced his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto to deploy non-ATMIS troops to Somalia ahead of the impending second phase of operations against al-Shabaab. Also to dispatch more troops who will serve for three months are Æthiopia and Djibouti. 
|
