Latest news update

KDF Employs Change Of Tack After El Adde Attack

El Adde attack on January 15, 2016, on the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) bases in Somalia by Al Shabaab insurgents, has prompted a reorganisation of key defensive positions on all camps.

El Adde attack on January 15, 2016, on the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) bases in Somalia by Al Shabaab insurgents, has prompted a reorganisation of key defensive positions on all camps.

Twice in a similar modus operandi, Al Shabaab fighters attacked KDF bases in Somalia leading to the highest death toll of Kenyan soldiers in battle.

Two years later, the military bosses have never officially confirmed how many soldiers lost their lives.

town raid Following lessons learnt after the attack, the Kenyan military mandarins sought to improve the defensive capabilities of the troops by withdrawing from some positions and beefing up others.

The troops were moved from Badhadhe to Sarira, Busar, Kulbiyow and Elwak and trenches created around the camps to stop the entry of Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices into the bases as happened in the unfortunate El Adde incident. “The re-adjustment and re-positioning of troops in camps in Somalia are some of the outcomes of lessons learnt after El Adde and Kulbiyow.

Troops withdrew from some positions and improved defensive capabilities in other bases. That is why the attack in Kulbiyow did not succeed,” KDF Military spokesman David Obonyo says.

Reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed to monitor Al Shabaab fighters’ movement prior to striking them.

Following the re-adjustments, KDF’s Special Forces intercepted and killed the attackers of December 30, 2017, Ijara Police Station attack and destroyed the Land Cruiser that had been stolen.

Back to top button