Kenya's army kills Al-Shabaab suicide bomber, brings town drone

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya Defence Forces troops killed an unidentified suspected Al-Shabaab suicide bomber, security sources have revealed, in the latest tremendous achievement that would have otherwise been catastrophic to the military, had the bomber managed to detonate.

According to security sources, the suspected Al-Shabaab militant was approaching Camp Sarira in Lamu where the multi-agency security forces have been pitching tents, but was eliminated by snipers who noticed him from the vicinity. The suspect died on the spot, sources added.

While the KDF is yet to release full details about Wednesday's event, reports indicate that the military had earlier downed a drone that was doing surveillance in the camp, showing how technologically advanced the group is. The drone was being monitored from an unknown location.

The success comes barely a fortnight after the militants attacked a nearby General Service Unit [GSU] camp leaving three soldiers dead. The KDF soldiers, police said, had rushed to the scene to rescue GSU officers whose vehicle was targeted by an Improvised Explosive Device [IED].

Al-Shabaab has been carrying sporadic attacks on Kenyan soil for the last couple of weeks, killing security officers in Garissa and Lamu, besides waging attacks in Mandera and Wajir. The attacks are correlated with ongoing operations against the group within Somalia.

Some reports also indicate Al-Shabaab militants ambushed the Special Operations Group of the Kenya Police in Ogor-weyn area of Mandera North. SOG personnel fought back the attackers, but details about casualties were not immediately disclosed.

Before the Mandera attack, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki had announced a delay in re-opening of Kenya-Somalia border which was scheduled for this month, arguing that the two countries had made the decision due to increasing terror attacks within the Republic of Kenya.

Initially, Kenya had agreed to open Mandera-Bula Hawo, Liboi-Dhoblely, and Kiunga-Ras Kamboni border points to facilitate trade between the two countries. But the Al-Shabaab, who make revenue from smuggled goods across the border, warned about the decision while forecasting increased attacks on Kenyan soil.

GAROWE ONLINE