By GEOFFREY MOSOKU
Israeli Commandos, US anti-terror forces and British military experts are said to have joined Kenyan forces to battle militants who had taken siege of Westgate mall.
International media reported that the special commandos from Israel had joined the Kenyan forces on Sunday to aid in the rescue efforts of those held hostage and subdue the attackers.
“The Israelis have just entered and they are rescuing the hostages and the injured,” AFP quoted a security source as saying. Reuters also quoted an Israeli security source as saying Israeli advisers were helping Kenya with “negotiating strategy” to help end the siege.
“There are Israeli advisers helping with the negotiating strategy, but no Israelis involved in any imminent storming operation,” said the source, who gave no further details and asked not to be identified. Israeli Foreign ministry however, refused to confirm or deny if its forces were involved.
Israel commandos
The Debka Weekly magazine in the Middle East reported that Israeli commandos were airlifted to Kenya when the Westgate mall was first attacked.
Nairobi invoked a secret security pact between the two governments under which, Jerusalem guarantees military assistance should the Kenyan government be threatened by a foreign force.
But Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces General Julius Karangi told a news briefing in Nairobi yesterday “there are no reinforcements for the fight against the international criminals.”
Sources indicated that Israelis working with local forces devised a strategy to light up the huge smoke ‘cover smoke’ at West gate even as the terrorists attempted to set fire Nakumatt stores.
