Kenya to attack Al-Shabaab

By Steve Mkawale

Kenya has announced it is exercising its right to attack Somalia's Al Shabaab terrorists to defend itself against continued aggression.

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti accompanied by Defence minister Yusuf Haji addresses the press at Harambee House in Nairobi on Saturday, on Al-Shabaab raid in Kenya (PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD)

The formal declaration signals attacks by security forces on targets and groups in Somalia intended to prevent future attacks.

At a press conference in Nairobi, Defence Minister Yusuf Haji and his Internal Security counterpart George Saitoti formally invoked Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The article, which was invoked by the United States in the killing of Osama bin Laden, allows a country to defend itself from external aggression as well as to prevent attacks. The ministers said Kenya would use the military and other security forces to deal with "provocations" by Al-Shabaab and other militants.

Saitoti says the Government believes the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab movement and its affiliates were behind eight incidents on Kenyan soil, including the kidnapping of two MÈdecins Sans FrontiËres aid workers from Dadaab on Thursday. Military and police officers are pursuing the gunmen holding the Spanish aid workers hostage.

Al Shabaab controls large swathes of southern and central Somalia, including areas close to the border with Kenya. The Kenya Army in recent months has been involved in fending off Al-Shabaab at the Kenyan border with clashes in Elwak and Dhobley.