KDF captures town of Kuday from Shabaab

Kenya: Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers serving under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) and Somalia troops on Sunday captured the key port town of Kuday from Al-Shabaab.

Department of Defence headquarters yesterday said a major beach landing operation was carried out at 4.30am in which several Al-Shabaab fighters were killed.

KDF Spokesman David Obonyo said five technical vehicles belonging to the fighters were destroyed and ammunition seized.

“Kuday was the remaining Al-Shabaab stronghold in Somalia and this is a major loss to the militia which limits their freedom of action,” said colonel Obonyo.

The militants used the town as a key base for their logistical and operational work from where they launched attacks in southern Somalia, he added.

In a statement, he said Amisom is in control of adjacent islands of Mdoa and Dagaz. The town was also used as an entry point of contraband goods. Obonyo said the personnel there are now in control of key ports in Sector two.

The successful operation came a week after a senior Al-Shabaab member, Adan Garar was killed in Bardhere in a US drone attack.

Mr Garaar was involved in the planning of the Westgate Shopping Mall attack in which up to 70 people were killed in September 21, 2013.

Garar was the highest-ranking Al-Shabaab commander to be killed since Ahmed Abdi Godane was eliminated in a similar strike in September last year.

Although KDF did not take part in Garar’s killing, it exchanged intelligence with the US forces before the operation was conducted.

KDF went to Somalia in October 2011. Kenya’s incursion into southern Somalia started after the kidnapping of two Spanish women, who were working for Médecins Sans Frontières at the Dadaab refugee camp.