KDF-Al Shabaab militants in fierce fire exchange

KDF-Al Shabaab militants in fierce fire exchange

One Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) officer lost his life with two others sustaining injuries during an Al Shabaab attack on a KDF camp in Baardere, Gedo region of Somalia.

According to ground sources, the KDF troops drawn from the 19 Kenya Rifle Battalion with its headquarters in Nanyuki, returned fire killing 24 Al Shabaab militants in a four hour gun battle.

Confirming the attack, KDF Spokesman, Col. Joseph Owuoth, however, denied any fatalities on the KDF side.

“At about 1850hrs the Al Shabaab staged what we call a Probing Attack against our position in Baardere, Somalia, we were able to repulse them without any injuries or deaths on our side,” Col. Joseph Owuoth said.

Sources on the ground, however, indicate that the militants, fired an assortment of weaponry at the infantry troops, including an 81mm mortar that directly hit one of the trenches instantly killing one soldier. Two others sustained head injuries.

The injured have been airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment .

The attack comes in the wake of increased activity by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces against the Somalia based Al Qaeda-linked terror outfit, that has pushed the terrorists towards the Kenya Somalia border.

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