The troops took control of Harbole town after a deadly fight that left more than 100 Al-Shabaab fighters dead and hundreds others wounded.
Confirming the capture of the town, KDF Information Operations officer Col. Cyrus Oguna said during the fighting that took place on the Tuesday morning, Somalia National Army lost one soldier and six others were wounded.
Col. Oguna said KDF suffered one injury. “During the 3 hour engagement one soldier died and six others were injured”, Col. Oguna said. He said fleeing al-shabab fighters left behind a huge cache of weapons.
“Several others surrendered to KDF and they are now in the custody of SNA troops. “ It’s only a matter of days if not hours and Kismayo Port will be in our control," Col. Oguna added.
He said the AMISOM forces are conducting pacification operations within the locality to clear the area of Al Shabaab remnants as the forces prepare for the major onslaught to Kismayu. Harbole is about 60km to Kismayu.
Three weeks ago KDF killed more than 250 militants after three days of fierce fighting in Miido town.
Kenya lost 6 soldiers during the fighting. After the capture of Miido and Harbole towns, al-shabaab fighters are now abandoning their defense lines and fleeing towards Kismayo.
On Friday 8th September, two Senior Al-Shabaab commanders were killed by KDF special troops near Kismayu.
According to a report published by Strategic Intelligence News, the commanders identified as Sheikh Yousuf and sheikh Barayani were among hundreds of fighters killed by the AMISOM troops led by Kenya Defense Forces and TFG/SNA forces of the weak Somalia government.
The death of the two Commanders, Sheikh Yousuf and sheikh Barayani Stymies the operational and logistical capacity of the Al-Qaeda allied Al-Shabaaab militia group accused of oppressing and executing innocent Somali people besides assassinating learned lawmakers and scholars.
Posted by Koome Kimonye
