“That is not something that will scare any of us,” the Deputy Speaker said.

The Al Shabaab has continued to target Kenyan military vehicles.

On Wednesday, an armoured personnel carrier drove over an Improvised Explosive Device in the village of Hawina. The patrol vehicle was traveling from Tabda to Dhobley.

“The front axle was damaged and the front wheel detached from the vehicle,” the Kenyan military said, adding “there were no injuries as purported by the Al Shabaab.”

The Al Shabaab operatives have recently carried out attacks in the town of Elwak on the Kenyan side of the border. The attacks have also continued, mostly targeting the Kenyan security forces on regular patrols.

Internal Security Ministry Permanent Secretary Kimemia said the government was aware of the plots to target the officials. He said efforts to avert such attacks were in place, including the vetting of all Somali refugees in Kenya.

The news of the security threats came as the Kenyan air force hit an Al Shabaab controlled village of Hosingo, on the common border with Somalia, killing 18 fighters and a senior commander, whose family was believed to reside with the fighters.

“It is believed the senior Al Shabaab commander, former administrator, and over 17 fighters died. The administrator’s family is likely to have been residing with the fighters,” the Kenyan military spokesman, Major Emmanuel Chirchir, said.

Chirchir asked Somali civilians to avoid direct interactions with the Al Shabaab. The Kenyan troops have announced plans to intensify their air strikes.

Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) Chief of Staff, General Julius Karangi, and his deputy paid an unannounced visit to the troops on the frontline and later held talks with the Somali military officials in his first visit to the frontline.

Karangi visited a military camp in Ishakani, where he urged the troops to keep their fight against the Al Shabaab.

“Our mandate remains the same, which involves the actual killing of Al Shabaab. Our focus remains on land, sea and air,” Gen. Karangi said.

Kenyan troops have been planning to enter Kismayu, the key port city, which has been dubbed as the endgame in the operation inside Somalia.

“The war is not going to end when we enter Kismayu. I want to warn the Al Shabaab sympathizers that their days are numbered,” Karangi said.

Pana 21/12/2011

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