How Al Shabaab's stronghold fell to KDF

By Peter Nguli

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have just done what none of any other armies in the world have ever done: defeating an Al Qaeda linked militant outfit.

Even the US and other mighty African armies have tried in Somalia but failed miserably. However KDF have proved to the world our might, skill and firepower.

Our boys and girls in uniform have made us proud and proved to the world that Kenya continues to flex her muscles as a regional military superpower.

On the night of Thursday, 27th September, four Kenyan warships approached the port city of Kismayu stealthily and in the silence of the night, deployed hundreds of special forces into the beaches of Kismayu in the morning of Friday 28th 2012.

According to David Goldman, a defense specialist, the special fighting troops made the beach landing using 11M Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats from Kenya naval warships.

Their spectacular beach and air landing, the first by an African country, helped main fighting units of the KDF storm the port city of Kismayu, and last lifeline of the Al Shabaab terrorists based in Somalia.

Kenya Air Force shelled Al Shabaab’s main armory and warehouse near the coast destroying both facilities completely denting the long term capacity to resupply.

According to strategic intelligence, KDF soldiers stormed Kismayu after mop up operations by elements of the special forces of the Kenya Army, sorties by the Kenya Air Force and strategic naval attacks on main enemy positions, assets, and defenses by the Kenya Navy.

Early Thursday, many Al Shabaab small unit leaders were dead forcing the key militia leaders to flee the city on Thursday afternoon. Anti- aircraft guns, ammunition, grenades, guns, and machine-guns were destroyed. The objective was to deny the militants arms, supplies, ammunition, communication, and leadership capabilities as the final push into the nerve center of the port city was made.

At exactly 0200HRS, Kenyan dreaded special forces landed in Kismayu from the air and sea while main fighting troops stormed the city from the north and west of the city as naval warships shelled the positions and defenses using 75mm guns from sea.

At about 0315 HRS, Kismayu port jetty and its west and north had finally fallen to the fighting battalions of the Kenya Defense Force who are now operating deep inside the port city.

KDF, took control of Kismayu’s heartbeat last week after special forces made drops to the city from special forces aircraft’s, while other KDF special forces slithered into the port city killing Al Shabaab fighting unit leaders, destroying their positions and blowing up their armory’s, ammunition supply centers and facilities.

Deaths of the militants unit leaders left units of the Al Shabaab without commanders hence hasty retreat far east of the city leaving the city without defenders.

The Kenya military is among the best trained in the developing world. Kenya's Air Force is the best in Africa. With arrival of one of the best and well-equipped naval ships, KNS Jasiri, The Kenya Navy's might is incomparable to any other in the whole of the East African coast.