Kenyan Military claims it will logisitically disable AlShabaab if Afmadoow is captured

[GoldCoast]

he Kenyan military says it is trying to incapacitate the militant Islamist group al-Shabab by targeting its financial and logistical operations in Somalia.

 

Kenyan military officials say they are closing in on key al-Shabab targets, four weeks into military operations in Somalia.

 

Kenyan Army spokesman, Emmanuel Chirchir, says one of the most important objectives of ‘Operation Linda Nchi’ is to take the southern Somali town of Afmadow.

 

“We believe Afmadow is critical to al-Shabab's operations, one, because it provides facilities for money transfers and that of course provides opportunities to pay soldiers," he said. "So that's one of the critical things. So, once we control Afmadow - in terms of getting rid of al-Shabab and then remaining with the locals who are supporting the operation - then in terms of logistically disabling al-Shabab we will have managed.”

 

The military has said for weeks that its troops have been poised to advance on Afmadow. But heavy rains have made southern Somalia's dirt and sand roads nearly impassible, and have slowed Kenya's military advance on the ground. Kenya has still not disclosed how many soldiers are involved in operations in Somalia.

 

The military is also relying heavily on its Air Force to hit al-Shabab positions. Major Chirchir says air strikes near the port-town of Kismayo have been successful.

 

“In Kismayo, it was one of the jetty's that's close to the port," said Chirchir. "There used to be a palatial home and they believe this was the nerve center where they used to plan their battles. But now, after the first incursion and the second incursion we've not had - they have resorted to moving back to the city to mix with the local population.”

 

Kismayo is another important economic asset for al-Shabab, and a city where the United Nations says the group gets much of its financial and material support.

 

Some civilians have been fleeing the city out of concern over Kenya's aerial campaign or an impending showdown with al-Shabab. There are also reports that many others have been trapped by the rainy weather, unable to escape.

 

In eastern Kenya over the weekend, two people were killed and another five were wounded in a grenade attack on a church.

 

No one has claimed responsibility, but Kenyan authorities say they are investigating a link to al-Shabab, which has vowed to attack Kenya in retaliation for the military offensive.

 

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These guys are really not serious LOL. Couple this with the donkey claim and downing an "alShabaab boat"( turned out to be fishermen) and this is almost comical.

 

It's been nearly three weeks and they've hardly accomplished a thing. I'm starting to get the feeling this is all a PR campaign aimed at Kenyans, more than it is towards accomplishing any real strategic goals.

[omar12]

It's not a PR campaign. Whether their being effective or not that is debatable, but hurting Al Shabab in some way is definitely their target.

[GoldCoast]

omar12;756507 wrote:

It's not a PR campaign. Whether their being effective or not that is debatable, but hurting Al Shabab in some way is definitely their target.

Well their actual PR has been horrific so far, and its definitely been aimed at appeasing Kenyans regarding the progress of this campaign.

[Baashi]

GoldCoast

 

It is too early to weigh in on the success or lack thereof of this operation. Remember it is rainy season and as all rainy seasons in that neck of the wood movement is extremely limited. Kenyans have the support of the big boys and as the spokesman rightly stated they do have the capacity to exact revenge against Kelligii Muslims. Aerial supremacy (drones, satellite technology, jets) and ground forces coupled with local boys are the bets tools of any war -- these assets awoowe make a huge difference in a war theater.

 

The thing is though poor civilians (urbanite Kismayo folk) will get caught in the middle -- and take a double whammy -- indiscriminate aerial bombardment by Kenyans on one end and an intolerable self-defense campaign (a la ka kacaay, ha la dagaalamo) where any passive man of fighting age unwilling to fight along AS line could be accused of sympathizing with the “enemy”, on the other end. Adduunyo!

 

Uninitiated Kenyan boys will soon learn that the art of pinning jelly to the wall is indeed a difficult art to master. AS is akin of jelly.

[GoldCoast]

Baashi;756512 wrote:

GoldCoast

 

It is too early to weigh in on the success or lack thereof of this operation. Remember it is rainy season and as all rainy seasons in that neck of the wood movement is extremely limited. Kenyans have the support of the big boys and as the spokesman rightly stated they do have the capacity to exact revenge against

Kelligii Muslims

. Aerial supremacy (drones, satellite technology, jets) and ground forces coupled with local boys are the bets tools of any war -- these assets awoowe make a huge difference in a war theater.

 

The thing is though poor civilians (urbanite Kismayo folk) will get caught in the middle -- and take a double whammy -- indiscriminate aerial bombardment by Kenyans on one end and an intolerable self-defense campaign (a la

ka kacaay, ha la dagaalamo

) where any passive man of fighting age unwilling to fight along AS line could be accused of sympathizing with the “enemy”, on the other end.

Adduunyo

!

 

Uninitiated Kenyan boys will soon learn that the art of pinning jelly to the wall is indeed a difficult art to master. AS is akin of jelly.

 

The fact they even conducted the operation in the midst of the rainy season, has been quietly highlighted as incompetence by some of the "big boys" who do not seem to support this to the same level they did the Ethiopian incursion. Not out of love of Somali sovereignty but because on a purely technical level this seems too be ill planned. You are right however it is still very early and we will see how it progresses. Civilians will also surely be the losers, regardless of the outcome.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Bil ku dhawaad ayee Afmadoow u socdaan oo u jirto wax ka yar 20 kiilomitir meeshee hadda ku suganyihiin. Awalba waxba iyagoo hubsan ka gudbeen xad beenaadkaas. This spokesman's misplaced arrogance la yaabaaba. All his twitter messages islaweyni laga dhadhansan karaa. Eebboow Kenyaati Soomaaliya iyo Soomaaliba haku jees jeesteeyo asagoo soo duulaayo - tanaa dhaceyso isma dhaheynin.

[Som@li]

Kenyans don't know war, believe me, they will run away within a month.

[burahadeer]

I hate to say kenyans r bogged down no matter how much air cover they assemble.It will turn into deadly guerilla warfare.

[Abdul]

These attacks against all moving donkeys has become a joke around the world.Many are saying Kenya has a lot to learn about wars.

[Jacaylbaro]

Moving Donkeys ,,,,