12 KDF officers killed in Somalia laid to rest

At least 12 Kenya Defense Forces officers have been buried since the attack by suspected Al Shabaab militants at Kulbiyow military base camp in Somalia on January 27 this year.

Preparations are also ongoing to lay to rest nine more KDF servicemen in various parts of the country, even as government insists that the country lost nine officers only in the attack 18 km from Kenya-Somalia border.

On Sunday, February 6, State House Spokesperson, Manoah Esipisu, maintained that only nine KDF officers lost their lives in the Kulbiyow raid.

So far, Gregory Ekuwom from Kanamakemer village, Moses Kyalo Mukei from Kyaani village, George Muriungi Mbui from Ruiga from Imenti Central, Joseph Rotich from Kericho County, Gideon Nyabidi from Trans Nzoia County, as well as Sergeant Abdalla Aziz, Ido Kuno Ido, Mohamed Kanchoro and Sergeant Kassim Roba from Isiolo, Marsabit and Samburu Counties have been laid to rest.

Five other families from Turkana County were informed of the passing of their loving ones and are making burial plans for their kin with three other fallen officers set to be buried in Ganze and Rabai in Kilifi County.

The families are now demanding the withdrawal of Kenyan troops from Somalia, as others accuse the government of keeping them in the dark over the fate of their loved ones.

The Al Shabaab militants attacked a KDF camp in Kulbiyow, Somalia over a week ago in what the KDF, through its spokesman, Col. Paul Njuguna, termed as an attempted attack.

Col Njuguna said that the KDF officers repulsed the militants neutralizing over 70 of them.