Kenyan navy sinks another boat on Somali waters - Kenya’s naval force, operating off the coast of Somalia, sank a second boat on Friday and shot at its occupants believed to be fishermen after the group allegedly declined to stop for identification, a military spokesman said. Major Emmanuel Chirchir, the Kenyan army spokesman, said the boat sailed on a no-go zone and defied orders to stop near the area of Ras Kamboni, a former rebel stronghold which fell on to the hands of Kenyan soldiers operating inside Somalia.

“The Boat was challenged to stop for identification but continued to approach the Kenya Navy at high speed. They were fired at,” Major Chirchir said.

The incident occurred only hours after the Navy sunk a small boat, (skiff), killing 18 suspected Al Shabaab fighters transporting fuel to a town of Kuday in Somalia. The incident occurred on 2 November. The Navy released the video of the burning skiff.

“We wish to reiterate that the Kenya-Somalia border is still closed and that any maritime operations in this area are banned,” Chirchir said.

Meanwhile, Kenyan fishermen from the beach town of Kiunga, have protested the Navy action, saying the people in the boat that was fired at stopped for inspection and were cleared to continue with their journey before they were fired at again.

“We are fishermen. They stopped and identified themselves but they were shot at after being cleared to continue,” said a fisherman who did not wish to be identified.

The fishermen said at least four Kenyan fishermen were killed during Friday’s incident.

The incident was the third involving the Kenyan Naval Force, which has been gearing for a clash in the town of Kismayu. In the third incident, the Navy said it shot an engine for a small skiff, leading to its sinking and killing 18 suspected fighters.

“We believe that some of the militants swam ashore, we wish to urge the public to be cautious of people seeking treatment for bullet wounds and report any suspicious persons to the nearest police station or security agency,” Major Chirchir warned.

Family members of those killed in Ras Kamboni said the Navy over-reacted by shooting at every boat at sea.

“Killing people any how, even if they are Al Shabaab is wrong, how can a whole government (military) deployed to keep peace mistake people. You do not just shoot people even if they are Al Shabaab,” said another fisherman.

The Kenyan military denied that those killed were fishermen. The military insisted that fishing had been banned on the Indian Ocean following the launch of the operation in Somalia.

Pana 05/11/2011