Security alert issued following reports of Al shabaab retaliation

By CYRUS OMBATI and Agencies

Security has been tightened in wake of reports that the US military carried out a missile strike in Somalia against a suspected militant leader with ties to al-Qaeda and al-Shabab.

US defence officials say they are trying to establish whether the strike killed the intended target, who is believed to be Sahal Iskudhuq, an al-Shabab commander who was close to the head of the militant Islamist group, and to al-Qaeda.

The strike was aimed at a vehicle in a remote area of southern Somalia, near the town of Barawe on Sunday.

The Pentagon says the target was a senior leader in the two organizations.

The US launched a failed raid in Barawe - seen as a militant stronghold - in October to capture an al-Shabaab commander.

The group, which was responsible for the attack on a Kenyan shopping centre in September, has been weakened by an offensive by African Union forces on their haven in south-central Somalia.

The US has recently deepened its involvement in the country by sending a small unit of military advisers to the capital, Mogadishu.

In Nairobi, security agencies said their efforts to contain a possible retaliation by the group have been heightened in the capital and Coast.

Officials said key government installations and popular public places are under vigilance to thwart any possible attack.

Police spokeswoman Gatiria Mboroki however urged for public support to be able to contain the menace

“These people plan to execute out there and police cannot be in all places and that is why we urge for public support to contain it. We have thwarted several other planned attacks in the recent months,” said Mboroki.

She added a number of youths had been detained and released after questioning.

And in a letter to all Principal Secretaries, Secretary to Cabinet Francis Kimemia said intelligence in their possession had necessitated the move to urgently deploy and increase security in all State buildings and installations.

“The Ministerial Security Committee and other systems in your areas should be fully activated,” said Kimemia in the letter dated January 21.

Other independent sources said an unknown number of radicalized youth are in the country after a brief training in Somalia under Al-Shabab.

Special police squads are now pursuing and monitoring the movements of the youths. The heightened security comes in the wake of the attempted attack at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and discovery of a smoke grenade inside a toilet at the transit area two weeks ago.

The motive of the discovered smoke grenade is yet to be known. Other reports show the militants want to retaliate the killing of their followers in Somalia by a strike by Kenyan troops earlier this month in which more than 50 recruits were killed.