Kenya Invades Southern Somalia

[AbdiWahab252]

This would be Kenya's first invasion of another neighboring country in its history. This invasion of Southern Somalia will test Kenya's capacity to be on the offensive and if they fail, will end up being a quagmire for them.

This invasion shows what lies in store if Raila Odinga wins next year.

Kenya to fight Al-Shabaab

Updated 28 min(s) ago
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By Steve Mkawale

Kenyan forces are believed to be already engaging with Al-Shabaab elements inside Somalia, signalling a clear determination by the country to defend itself from incessant attacks by insurgents.

On Saturday, the Government — through two ministers —made it clear it was exercising its right to self-defence against continued aggression that risks undermining the country’s economic and security interests.

Kenya invoked this right – provided for under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter – in the face of flagrant violation of its territorial integrity and national economy by Al-Shabaab terror group.

Kenya military personnel during a border patrol. Kenya should be more aggressive in securing borders to tame Al shabaab attacks. Picture: File/Standard

The formal announcement signals the country’s determination to pursue legitimate Al-Shabaab targets and groups anywhere, including inside Somalia, which has not had a functioning Government since dictator Siad Barre was deposed in 1991 – with the intention to respond and prevent future attacks.

At a press conference in Nairobi, Defence Minister Yusuf Haji and his Internal Security counterpart George Saitoti also announced the immediate closure of the border with the anarchic country, and the Government’s intention to screen all refugees in the country to weed out sleeper elements and sympathisers.

It listed seven major incidents of "provocations" by Al-Shabaab, including the brazen attacks on Dadajabula Police Post in 2009, raid on Liboi General Service Unit Camp last year, and the laying of mines and improvised explosive devices against Kenya police and military in Mandera last July.

Others are the numerous kidnappings and hijackings within Kenya’s borders, including two Catholic nuns in Elwak in 2009, two military soldiers last July, and the recent seizure of British, French and Spanish nationals in Lamu and Dadaab.

Last month, there were several Al-Shabaab attacks along the Kenya-Somalia border, besides the continued recruitment of Kenyan youth to the terror group’s ranks.

The UN Charter Article 51 that Kenya invoked yesterday allows a country to defend itself from external aggression, as well as to prevent attacks.

The international law is the same one that the United States resorted to in the killing of al-Qaeda head Osama bin Laden. The US responded firmly against Afghanistan after it established that the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001, attacks were all members of the al Qaeda terrorist organisation, known to operate in Afghanistan.

Israel also cited the international law governing self-defence to justify its attack on Gaza in 2009.

Kenya’s new Constitution, which Saitoti and Haji referred to yesterday, states that the Defence Forces are responsible for the defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic.

The two ministers said Kenya would use the military and other security forces to deal with "provocations" by Al-Shabaab, and other militants.

They said the Government believed the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab movement and its affiliates were behind the incidents on Kenyan soil, including the kidnapping of two Medecins Sans Frontiers aid workers from Dadaab on Thursday.

Hot pursuit

"We are now going to pursue the enemy, who are the Al-Shabaab, to wherever they would be, even in their country," said a tough-talking Saitoti.

Military and police officers are pursuing the gunmen holding the Spanish aid workers.

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 border with clashes in Elwak and Dhobley.

Yesterday, Haji said: "We are going to hunt them down in Somalia. Our country is under attack and the measures we have decided to take are aimed at protecting and preserving the integrity of the country, national economy, and security."

The latest abduction of Westerners on Kenyan soil by attackers linked to Al-Shabaab is the third in a month.

Aid workers have been targets of abductions by Somalia gunmen for ransom payouts, but attacks in Kenya have been relatively rare.

Drone attacks

The launch of US drone attacks in June and aggressive military assaults by African Union Mission in Somalia troops drove the Al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu. This is thought to have prompted the rebels to resort to desperate measures, including suicide bombings in the war-scarred Somalia capital and lately clashes with Kenyan forces at border.

Haji confirmed that the military pursuing the kidnappers had come across the Spanish aid workers’ vehicle abandoned between Dadaab and the Somalia frontier.

"This means the gunmen and their victims are now on foot. The military will catch up with them," he said. But Haji cautioned aid workers against venturing outside of the camp without police security.

"They have been reluctant to enhance security in the camp, and when they go out they do not seek security saying they are restricted from carrying security personnel in their vehicles," said the minister.

Saitoti said the Government would carry out further screening of refugees at the Dadaab camp.

"We will embark on thorough screening of those in the camps to weed out Al-Shabaab sympathisers," he said.

Kenyan authorities have on several occasions expressed fears that Islamist extremists would infiltrate the world’s largest refugee camp, as the border is about 100km away.

He appealed to the international community to work on securing Somalia so that the refugees could be assisted to return home.

The Government statement comes at a time the United Nations has temporarily suspended all non-lifesaving aid operations in Dadaab.

Hundreds of aid workers have reportedly been confined to their offices, forcing the cancellation of services like education, counselling, and the relocation of families.

Aid agency, Medecins Sans Frontiers, says it is also pulling its entire foreign staff from the world’s largest refugee camp.

[Voltage]

[AbdiWahab252]

Voltage,

Your fantasy is about to come to fruition: the Jubbaland State of the Republic of Kenya. DawladSade would have been proud.

[EEGA9]

Yusuf Haji to hunt down Al-shabab

[The_Patriot]

I will be honest with you guys Kenya at the moment cannot afford a sustained ground invasion of Somalia because currently it is facing economic woes which my spiral further into dismay if they stay there longer than expected. The Youths on teh other hand will want to use their old tactics of withdrawing then starting a guarille warfare though I dont hink it will work in their favour as the locals would easily spot them and shoot them at site just like its easy to overcome a wolf as compared to a pack of wolves.

The other thing is the Kenyan army to be honest are sissies unless they have somalis,masaais, kalenjins etc in their ranks consisting of the majority of the bulk but Bantu soilders are known to flee the moment they here gun shots.


Lets see and observe the outcome.

[sheekh-Farax-zero]

i 'll laugh like a lunetic clown if they surrender all those heavy military equipment to shabaab, Kenyan military were always
soft target for rag-tag somali militia's

[AbdiWahab252]

Patriot,

They won't last 1 week

[BlackVelvet]

Interesting.

Finally those soldiers put on display during Kenyatta day can serve a purpose.

i 'll laugh like a lunetic clown if they surrender all those heavy military equipment to shabaab, Kenyan military were always
soft target for rag-tag somali militia's

Oh my, they may do more harm than good! Our faith in Kenya is shocking

[EEGA9]

I would be surprised if Kenya stays for the long haul I don't think they want to get bogged down in Jubbaland, there announcement was unprecedented however.There hoping for a quick victory, where they will push the forces already present forward and consolidate and hold there gains whilst giving them much needed air and fire power in there offensive.

If they go deeper beyond Dhoobley then there serious.

[The_Patriot]

AW check this comments from Mashada

To state that a leader who chooses military option is no good for peace is to be simplistic.

Its understandable truth that Kenya has no military capable of facing an aggressor. On NTV the other day it was on air that Kenya has been training people of somali origin to counter Al Shabaab. why? Simple... the boys in camp are bacon,sausage,blue-band sons of the rich who cant be deployed to defend Kenya. In a nutshell, we are empty.

Its not a wonder that the two Navy officers couldnt manage ill trained al shabaab.

I don't know what otero and Big P are arguing about.

The work of the military is to man our borders, airspace and naval frontiers. They do this solely for the purpose of protecting our country from external aggression. Kenyatta and Moi were the most accomplished CiC the country has ever had.

But in Kenya Military men and women wallow in the barrack spending their pastime on drinking half-priced beers. Occasionally they come out to perform their decorative purposes during national holidays. They even have the audacity to race their rickety jalopies over our skies when Museveni's boys are doing the real thing in Migingo.

Others like Ole N even have time time to look for dating mates on Mashada. And they get decorated with meaningless medals.

[Voltage]

Voltage,

Your fantasy is about to come to fruition: the Jubbaland State of the Republic of Kenya. DawladSade would have been proud.

A part of DawladSade lives in Voltage, Jaalle Abdiwahab. Awgurio, Awgurio the dream becomes borne

[EEGA9]

AW check this comments from Mashada

To state that a leader who chooses military option is no good for peace is to be simplistic.

Its understandable truth that Kenya has no military capable of facing an aggressor. On NTV the other day it was on air that Kenya has been training people of somali origin to counter Al Shabaab. why? Simple... the boys in camp are bacon,sausage,blue-band sons of the rich who cant be deployed to defend Kenya. In a nutshell, we are empty.

Its not a wonder that the two Navy officers couldnt manage ill trained al shabaab.

I don't know what otero and Big P are arguing about.

The work of the military is to man our borders, airspace and naval frontiers. They do this solely for the purpose of protecting our country from external aggression. Kenyatta and Moi were the most accomplished CiC the country has ever had.

But in Kenya Military men and women wallow in the barrack spending their pastime on drinking half-priced beers. Occasionally they come out to perform their decorative purposes during national holidays. They even have the audacity to race their rickety jalopies over our skies when Museveni's boys are doing the real thing in Migingo.

Others like Ole N even have time time to look for dating mates on Mashada. And they get decorated with meaningless medals.

[The_Patriot]

Eega Kenyans are an open society unlike other africans like Ethiopians etc they are very rationale and just speak the truth.

Indeed doubled you can see why I call this people odmorons. Apart from Raila worship there is very little activity in these fellows craniums.

Our country needs mature intelligent leadership not chest thumping fools. If you went by Railas and his followers stupid desires Kenya would currently be at war with Uganda, Sudan/south sudan, Ethiopia and somalia

The odmorons seem to think we can fight four neighbours at once or that they can tell uganda "ngoja kidogo" we need to go fight sudan. Then tell sudan "timeout" we need to go to war in ethiopia, then tell ethiopia hold on lets stop while we go to fight alshabaab in somalia. This is what passes for moronic odm thinking.

Odmorons want War supposedly for the sake of pride or machismo. So that boys can try to prove their manhood. Yet these same odmorons would be the first to runaway from the fight when they realise war is not a stone throwing exercise or mass action with rusty pangas.

At least kibaki knows that a territorial dispute with a friendly neighbour over a rock in the lake or border disputes with sudan are best handled through diplomacy. That cross border raids by ethiopian, sudanese kenyan or ugandan tribesmen/bandits are best handled by security cooperation between the affected countries.

Finally Kibaki understands that a few kidnappings are a policing issue. Best handled by beefing up security rather than going to war. Odmorons seem to think that war will encourage tourism, get travel advisorys lifted or somehow dissuade alshaabab really just stupidity.

Ethiopia has invaded somalia twice with little to show for it except massive loss of life and wasted money. kibakis approach is the right one. Marshall global support for the establishment of a government that can bring law and order to somalia.

[HippoTT]

Revenge?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamu_Incident

[EEGA9]

The thing about Jubbada hoose is however Al-shabab have lost public support even if they do decide to withdraw from the main settlements and engage in guerrilla warfare who will aid them.They lost much of there support which is why there arresting school kids in Kismayo forcing them to go to the front lines in Qooqani and Afmadow, the Kenyans and the Somali Government forces may have it easier than we believe.Al-shabab cannot sustain an effective insurgency in Jubboyinka with a hostile population and U.S drones/Planes flying high.