Operation Linda Nchi
Encyclopedia
Operation Linda Nchi is the codename for a coordinated military operation between the Somalian military
, the Kenyan military, the Ethiopian military, the French military, and allegedly the United States military
that began on an unspecified date in mid-October 2011, when troops from Kenya
crossed the border into the conflict zones of southern Somalia
. The soldiers were in pursuit of Al-Shabaab militants that are alleged to have kidnapped several foreign tourists and aid workers inside Kenya. According to the Ethiopia
n Foreign Minister, the operation represents one of the final stages in the Islamist insurgency
of the Somali Civil War
.
women, who were working for Medecins Sans Frontieres
at the Dadaab
refugee camp. The abductions were allegedly carried out by Al Shabaab militants. The Kenyan government claimed its troop deployment had received approval from the Transitional Federal Government
of Somalia (TFG). Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister, Moses Wetangula
, stated that the deployment of Kenyan troops was at the request of the TFG. The Kenyan military said that there was no set exit date for the operation, but the indicator of the mission's success would be a crippling of Al-Shabaab's capacity.
According to The Guardian
, "several sources agree[...] that the Kenyan intervention plan was discussed and decided in 2010, then finalised with input from western partners, including the US and to a lesser extent France", with Nairobi using the kidnappings "as an excuse to launch an operation ready and waiting." On 27 October Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua said that the incursion had been planned months in advance and that the operation had been "going on for quite some time", as well as denying any participation by western forces. The operation has a high approval rating from the Kenyan population.
On 16 October, Reuters
reported that Somalian and Kenyan military officials had met over the weekend for talks in the town of Dhobley, situated near the Somalia-Kenya border. According to an unidentified security source, "A team comprising Kenya Army and Rapid Deployment Unit [police] officers left our border last evening and went to Dhobley. They held a meeting with top officers of the TFG [Somali] forces for about two hours before they came back[...] The meeting was to prepare a joint operation between the two forces which is meant to launch an offensive against Al-Shabaab rebels who are scattered in different parts of southern Somalia".
On 16 October, an unnamed Somali military commander said that Kenyan troops had crossed the border and in a joint operation with Somalian forces pushed Al Shabaab out of two bases near the Kenyan border. Abdi Yusuf, a senior Somali military commander, confirmed that two warplanes had attacked Al Shabaab bases, but did not confirm whether they were Kenyan. He noted: "I can't identify the military aircraft, but our neighbour Kenya is fully supporting us militarily and our mission is to drive Al-Shabaab out of the region". In response to the incursion, Somalia's ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Nur, was quoted as stating: "We cannot condone any country crossing our border." TFG spokesman Abdirahman Omar Yarisow later contradicted Nur, asserting that "the governments of Somalia and Kenya are now cooperating in the fight against Al-Shabaab."
On 18 October, Somalia's President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and other TFG officials hosted a Kenyan delegation in Mogadishu
to discuss security issues cooperation against Al-Shabaab. Somalia's Defence Minister Hussein Arab Isse
and Kenya's Minister of Defence Mohamed Yusuf Haji then signed an agreement to collaborate against Al-Shabaab. Both countries pledged to "co-operate in undertaking security and military operations", including "co-ordinated pre-emptive action". The agreement reportedly restricts Kenyan activities to the southern Lower Juba region.
Despite media reports claiming otherwise, Kenyan defence minister Yusuf Haji denied the involvment of the Kenyan military in the capture by TFG forces of some Al-Shabaab bases in lower Juba. He added that "Kenya trained more TFG troops in the past and they are battling now against al-Shabaab in southern Somalia regions and we are giving them both logistical and financial support." Somalia's Defence Minister Isse welcomed Kenya's participation, stating that Somalia "need[ed] the support of Kenya so that our forces will be able to end al-Shabaab or any other threats against both Kenya and Somalia".
On 24 October, President Ahmed stated again that although he welcomed Kenyan logistical support, he was against the Kenyan military presence. These statements before the press appeared to contradict the signed cooperative agreement between the Somalian and Kenyan Defence ministers on 18 October. Ahmed claimed his administration and people in Somalia opposed the presence of Kenyan troops since the Somalian federal government "had no agreement with Kenya beyond helping us with logistics". According to media, Ahmed's remarks may have stemmed from fears that the Kenyan government supported the establishment of an autonomous Jubaland
in the south of Somalia. Ahmed had reportedly previously protested the deployment 2500 Somalis trained in Kenya to southern Somalia, arguing that the forces be sent to Mogadishu
to support the TFG there.
A leaked 2010 cable detailing a meeting between the TFG and the United States government (USG) states that "Sharif offered a qualified "yes" when asked if he supported the [Government of Kenya's (GOK)] Lower Juba initiative" and that he "told the GOK that the TFG did not want to see Somalia further divided[...] The GOK had reassured the TFG that it also did not want to see Somalia divided and that it intended to use the troops now being trained in Kenya for a national not a regional mission." The cable also suggests that "[Ahmed's] qualified willingness to support the long-incubated Kenyan Lower Juba initiative at this meeting was at variance with the skepticism he had expressed to Somalia Unit in Nairobi about two weeks ago", where Sharif "suggested that the troops in training at Isiolo did not have broad-based clan representation and speculated that it might be better to bring them to Mogadishu and integrate them into existing TFG security forces. He also in that meeting seemed more skeptical of the GOK's ability to manage a cross-border offensive." In addition, the cable states that "Sharif predicted that efforts to reform TFG security forces in Mogadishu, TFG outreach to ASWJ, and troops trained by Kenya and Ethiopia would coalesce into a comprehensive effort to push al-Shabaab out of south central Somalia."
Prime Minister of Somalia Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
had released a statement indicating that the military operation would help firm up on regional security. However, he later reportedly disowned any pact that the Somalian authorities had with the Kenyan government to cross the border into Somalia, stating that "We do not have agreement with Kenya. We understand that we need to defend against the militants but there is no proof saying that we agreed with Kenya". He dismissed media reports suggesting he disagreed with the President. The two issued a joint statement on 27 October denying any agreement between the TFG and Kenyan government to allow the Kenyan incursion into Somalia.
In allusion to a cooperative agreement with the Kenyan government reached before the October 18th Mogadishu pact, Somalian Defence Minister Isse also indicated that "the Somali Government and the Kenyan ministers only agreed to tackle the fighting against Al-Shabaab jointly by Kenya supporting the Somali forces."
The opposition to Kenya's action was criticised by some other TFG officials, militia allied to the TFG, and many ordinary Somalians. Many felt that Sharif did not fully understand the negative impact of Al-Shabaab's actions on the general public. Protests reportedly took place in the towns of Dhobley, Tabto and Qoqani, areas where Kenyan troops had passed through. His position reportedly conflicted with that of some Somalian military and TFG officials, the latter of whom considered the deployment of Kenyan troops to be an extension of Kenya's support in ousting the Al-Shabaab rebels.
On 31 October, a Somalian delegation led by Prime Minister Ali met in Nairobi
with the Kenyan Premier Raila Odinga
and other government officials to iron out differences and to outline a joint strategy vis-a-vis Operation Linda Nchi. After lengthy talks, the delegations issued a joint communique pledging coordinated military, political and diplomatic support for the mission, requesting that AMISOM peacekeepers police areas captured from Al-Shabaab, and that the International Criminal Court
(ICC) begin formal investigations against the group's commanders. The communique declared that "the Somalia government supports the activities of the Kenyan forces, which are being fully coordinated with the TFG of Somalia". The Kenyan Premier Odinga took the opportunity to dispel media reports alleging that the Kenyan government supported plans to form an autonomous Jubaland region in southern Somalia. He also emphasized that Kenya had no "imperialist designs", and that, in order to encourage post-conflict reconstruction, the Somalian and Kenyan governments would collectively support the establishment of local administrations in liberated areas according to domestic consensus. In addition, Somalian Prime Minister Ali urged the international community to support the joint operation, and stated that the mission "would be led by Somali forces with support of Kenyan forces". The two delegations also formed a joint "high-level co-ordinating committee" to maintain regular contacts between their respective governments.
On 12 November, Lindsay Kiptiness, a senior official in Kenya's Foreign Ministry, announced that the Kenyan government was attempting to secure the support of TFG backers from the Arab and Islamic worlds. Asked to comment by the BBC on Kenya's bid for assistance, former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia David H. Shinn
indicated that since Kenya is not a member of the Arab League
and Somalia is, "if the TFG and Kenya have coordinated their positions, it is possible the Arab League, which has been supportive of the TFG in the past, might issue a positive statement on Kenya’s involvement in Somalia." Shinn added that "the Arab League is not likely to offer any tangible support", but that "a positive statement might, however, encourage one or more Arab League members on their own to offer tangible support."
On 17 November, Somalia's President Sharif Ahmed met in Nairobi with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki
and the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
. All three leaders agreed on a joint approach in combating the Al Shabaab militia so as to assure regional security.
On 18 November, Voice of America
reported that an alliance of countries in East Africa were planning a broader joint military campaign to quash Al-Shabaab. An Intergovernmental Authority on Development
(IGAD) meeting slated for 25 November would reportedly urge all member nations, including Ethiopia, to contribute troops to the operation. Ethiopian officials indicated that no decision had officially been reached with regard to joining the troop contributing nations. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti stated that "You can simply guess Ethiopia is going to be part and parcel of this process[...] The decision is not made as to sending the army, but per the IGAD council's resolutions of the past months, all IGAD member countries, the African Union and others also will be summoned, will be called, will be expected to somehow contribute something to strengthening the operations in Somalia."
On 19 November, local residents reported witnessing 28 Ethiopian military trucks and APCs loaded with troops establish a forward base in Guri'el
. Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal would not confirm or deny the report. However, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti dismissed the reports of the Ethiopian military's deployment as "absolutely not true, there are absolutely no troops in Somalia[...] People are simply speculating". Mufti added that "there is an intention on the part of IGAD members to bolster peacekeeping forces, because as you know the regional countries are working on increasing the numbers of AMISOM". Somalian government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman also denied that Ethiopian troops had entered the country, stating that the Ethiopian military would first "need a mandate" or a bilateral agreement since the TFG "don't want anyone that could give propaganda for al-Shabab[...] We don't want any backlash."
On 21 November, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki met in Abu Dhabi
with the President of the United Arab Emirates
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as part of a state visit. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to stabilizing the security situation in southern Somalia and supporting post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the territory.
Following a multinational IGAD conference held in Addis Ababa on 25 November, IGAD Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim announced that the Ethiopian government had agreed to support Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, the Kenyan authorities and the African Union's campaign to quash the Al-Shabaab insurgency. Maalim did not elaborate on what exactly Ethiopia's role would be, stating that "We leave that to the national security forces to decide." On 25 November, an Ethiopian government official acknowledged for the first time that Ethiopian troops had entered Somalian territory for reconnoitring duties. After the IGAD meeting held the same day in Ethiopia's capital, the government official, who requested anonymity, indicated that the Ethiopian government would deploy troops inside Somalia to assist the Somalian and Kenyan forces' efforts. He added that the Ethiopian military's activities were for the moment limited to liaison work and reconnaissance, but that "We are looking at a brief period of time, weeks. We don't want our deployment to be used for propaganda by the extremists".
and Kenya's Minister of Defence Mohamed Yusuf Haji agreed to collaborate against Al-Shabaab. On 24 October, Ahmed again stated that although he welcomed Kenyan logistical support, he was against the Kenyan military presence, contradicting the agreement made on the 18th. He and the Somalian Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali issued a joint statement on 27 October denying any agreement between the TFG and Kenyan government to allow the Kenyan incursion into Somalia, a stance criticised by other TFG officials. A joint communique issued on 31 October by the Prime Ministers of Somalia and Kenya on behalf of their respective governments noted "the current operations are being led by the TFG of Somalia Forces with the support of the Kenyan Defence Forces".
, Kenya had not "actively engaged" in the conflict in southern Somalia
prior to this operation. According to a correspondent with The Independent
, Kenya had previously been supporting at least two militias in southern Somalia in a proxy war against Al-Shabaab, but moved instead to a direct presence of Kenyan troops once that strategy had failed. Kenya's military is regarded as inexperienced and reporters voiced doubts that it has the capacity to conduct the required logistical operations. A joint communique issued on 31 October by the Kenyan and Somalian governments stated that the Kenyan forces were fully cooperating with Somali forces in a TFG led operation.
An African Union initiative calls for the Kenyan soldiers to eventually be brought under AMISOM's command.
Media subsequently reported eye witness accounts alleging that Ethiopian troops had set up positions in border areas of southern Somalia. This marks Ethiopia's first large scale intervention in the Somali Civil War since January 2009, when it withdrew troops after an inconclusive effort to support the Transitional Federal Government by defeating the Islamic Courts Union. Ethiopian officials would not comment directly on the troop build-up in Guri'el
, where it had previously established a base during its 2006 intervention, but at least one suggested that Ethiopia could be expected to join the operation.
After a multinational IGAD conference held on 25 November in Addis Ababa, IGAD announced that the Ethiopian government had agreed to support the allied forces' campaign against Al-Shabaab. Ethiopia's exact role in the operation, however, was not specified. The Ethiopian government also admitted that its soldiers had entered Somalia for reconnaissance duties, and indicated that, while its current activities were limited to liaison work and reconnoitring, its troop deployment would be brief.
had joined the operation, with the French Navy
shelling Al Shabaab positions on the Somali coast. They also attributed air-strikes against Al Shabaab that had increased since the start of Operation Linda Nchi to either France or the United States
. However, the French embassy in Kenya denied that the French navy had taken part in such an operation, and said that "there are no French warships in the vicinity of this area" and that the "embassy would appreciate if the newspapers would kindly correct the false impression created on this matter". A spokesman for the French military also told French media that no French forces were engaged in Somalia. On 25 October, Col Thierry Burkhard of the French military specified that French planes were transporting military equipment to Kenyan troops at an airport near the Somalian border. However, he likewise denied claims by Kenyan army officials that a French warship had shelled positions in Somalia.
According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Air Force has been sharing surveillance data with the Kenyan military that it gathered via unarmed MQ-9 Reaper
drones flying out of Arba Minch
in southern Ethiopia
. Also known as "hunter drones", the planes have been used for intelligence activities in Somalia and Yemen
and also possess the ability to transport missiles and satellite-guided bombs.
has consistently accused Eritrea of aiding Al-Shabaab. In early November 2011, media reports also claimed that the Eritrean government had sent two plane-loads of arms to Al-Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia. Eritrea's Foreign Minister issued a press release dismissing the charges as "pure fabrication and outright lies", and suggested that the reports were part of a "disinformation campaign" with the intended effect of discrediting Eritrea.
On 3 November, Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula met with the Eritrean ambassador to Kenya to seek clarification on intelligence allegations that weapons were being flown to Al-Shabaab from Eritrea. Wetangula later told the press on 11 November that Kenya would consider "reviewing diplomatic ties" with Eritrea if the Eritrean government did not provide a satisfactory account of the situation.
On 12 November, Eritrea's envoy to Nairobi Beyene Russom told the press that his government had no objections vis-a-vis Operation Linda Nchi. He blamed the allegations that Eritrea was supplying weapons to Al-Shabaab on lack of due diligence on the part of the media. Russom also accused Ethiopia, stating that "We have nothing against Kenya. This piling up of accusations is the work, as we believe, of Ethiopia to camouflage its illegal military occupation of Eritrean territory. What is being said now about the planeload of weapons to Al-Shabaab again we believe is a creation of Ethiopia." With regard to Wetangula's warning that the Kenyan government would severe ties, Russom indicated that Asmara
believed the Kenyan authorities were acting on false information. Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed
is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi for talks on the issue.
and agreed unanimously to support the coordinated military operation in southern Somalia. Ethopian
Deputy Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegne
also indicated that his country may join the military campaign, as "the long term goal is to eradicate al Shabaab from Somalia and this is the proper time and the process shows al-Shabaab is coming to an end".
On 29 October, at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
in Perth
, Australia
, Rwanda President Paul Kagame
and South Africa
n President Jacob Zuma
both pledged support for the mission, after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki informed them of the joint operations with the Somali government. Tanzania
n President Jakaya Kikwete
pledged support to regional, continental, and international bodies with aims to stabilise the Horn of Africa.
On 14 November, the office of Israeli
Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
said that it had made an offer to Kenyan PM Odinga to help Kenyan authorities secure the nation's borders and detect al-Shabaab networks in the country. Kenya requested vehicles for border patrols, aide developing its police forces, and sea-surveillance equipment.
(TFG) forces had taken control of the town of Qoqani. Kenyan air support reportedly assisted in the battle, with attack helicopters bombarding Al-Shabaab positions. Some reports also suggested involvement by the United States
military, though Somalian and Kenyan officials alluded only to Kenyan participation in the clash. TFG spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman indicated that Kenyan troops were only supplying "logistical and moral support" and that Somalian military officers were actually combating the Islamist militants. The number of casualties is unknown.
One Z-9 helicopter
is reported to have been lost due to mechanical failure while undertaking support operations in Liboi
town. 5 Kenyan soldiers died in the crash. The operation reportedly involves "truckloads" of soldiers, helicopters, and warplanes. At least two Kenyan battalions of 800 men each have been committed to the campaign.
A car bomb
exploded in Mogadishu
as Kenyan ministers visited the capital on 18 October, leaving at least two people dead and 15 injured. On October 24, French media reported that the Somalian army and Kenyan troops were advancing toward the southern town of Afmadow
, with the eventual aim of seizing Kismayo from the Islamists. Eyewitnesses report that al-Shabaab had confiscated trucks to bring fresh troops to Afmadow and started building an entrenchment system.
Early on 24 October, a Russian made F1 grenade was detonated in the Mwauras disco in Kenya's captial Nairobi
. The detonation injured 14 people. The local police linked the attack to al-Shabaab. It was followed by a second attack at evening against a bus stop. The second attacked killed at least one person and injured eight. A suspect was arrested and pleaded guilty for both attacks. He said that he is a member of al-Shabaab. Identified by the media as Elgiva Bwire Oliacha (alias Mohamed Seif), a recent Kenyan Muslim convert, he was sentenced to life in prison after having pleaded guilty. The man reportedly smiled at cameras, stated that he harbored no regrets, and indicated that he would not appeal his sentence.
According to Somalian military officials, air-strikes bombed targets in the southern town of Kismayo, an al-Shabaab stronghold. Although the origin of the assault jet could not be determined, French media have speculated that it could belong to the French military. Al-Shabaab said that the attack has caused no casualties.
On 27 October, four civilians were killed when their car was attacked by unidentified assailants near the Kenyan-Somali border in Mandera
. It is, however, unclear whether al-Shabaab was behind the attack.
On 28 October, a Kenyan military convoy was ambushed by Al-Shabaab militants between the towns of Tabda and Bilis Qoqani in southern Somalia. Assisting Somalian federal troops, the convoy was positioned 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from the border, on the Kismayo route, According to the BBC, the ambush represents the Kenyan troops' first confrontation with Al-Shabaab insurgents and reportedly lasted 30 minutes. A spokesman for the Kenyan military told the press that the attack left nine Al-Shabaab fighters dead and two Kenyan soldiers injured. Abdul Asis Abu Muscab, a spokesman for the group, also indicated that the ambush represented the beginning of the fighting and that further attacks would ensue.
On 30 October, Kenya Air Force fighter jets bombed the town of Jilib
, killing 10 and injuring at least 45. Some of these were reported to be civilians. Kenya admitted conducting an air raid but blames al-Shabaab for the death of the civilians. Kenya's prime minister Raila Odinga
said that civilian deaths were regrettable and any incidents would result in an investigation. he however blamed alshabab for causing the civilian casualties by stating that an alshabab technical mounted with a machinegun that was targeted during the air raid drove into a civilian compound while on fire and exploded, leading to civilian casualties.
On 31 October, TFG troops killed at least ten Al-Shabaab insurgents during clashes in Busar and Modaale, villages near the town of Elwak. TFG forces were reported to be nearing the port of Burgabo, 140 kilometres south of Kismayo. On 1 November the Kenyan military announced that it would attack ten Somali towns including Kismayo. By 2 November Al-Shabaab began conscripting residents to help defend the entrenched Kismayo, while at sea a skiff carrying fuel was sunk by the Kenyan navy killing 18 militants.
On 3 November, Kenyan military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir warned Kenyan and Somalian merchants via Twitter
not to sell donkeys to Al-Shabaab, as the group has now "resorted to using donkeys to transport their weapons." He also cautioned the public that any "large concentration and movement of loaded donkeys will be considered an al-Shabab activity."
On 10 November, al-Shabaab fighters ambushed a Kenyan convoy in between the towns of Tabda and Bills Qoqani. The fighting which started in the afternoon continued overnight and according to al-Shabaab they managed to kill 30 Kenyan troops and destroy six Kenyan military trucks. The TFG, however, claimed only 21 soldiers had been killed and that only three trucks were destroyed, while four were captured by al-Shabaab. Kenya,s military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir was however quick to deny the claims, and stated that alshabab had resorted to a propaganda campaign and categorically stated that the reports carried on Irans's press tv to be unsubstantiated and completely false."Attention of the Ministry of State for Defence has been drawn to the influx of propaganda and false information in regards to the on-going operation in Somalia. The continued false reporting by Press TV and other like minded media is unacceptable and should not be taken as factual information and events," said Major Chirchir.
On 16 November, TFG and Kenyan forces attacked an Al-Shabaab base in Busar. An Al-Shabaab official alleged that his group had killed 8 and captured 3 allied soldiers during the battle. Kenyan military officials denied the claim, saying that the joint forces had killed 12 militants but incurred no casualties. Later that day, al-Shabaab attacked Raskamboni movement
positions in the town of Kulbio near Dobley.
On 19 November, Kenyan Colonel Cyrus Oguna told the press that information and intelligence volunteered by local residents in southern Somalia had greatly assisted Kenyan forces. He cited captured Al-Shabaab positions as a testimony to this fact, and suggested that more areas would be secured courtesy of this information. The volunteered intelligence had also reportedly helped the soldiers successfully manage a change in tactics by the Al-Shabaab militants, the latter of whom had reportedly resorted to disguising themselves as women in order to escape the joint Somalian and Kenyan troops.
On 20 November, Kenyan forces assisted by warships reportedly destroyed an Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda training facility in Hola Wajeer, situated in Lower Juba's Badhadhe District. A military convoy of Somalian and Kenyan troops was also ambushed in between the towns of Tabto and Dobley. According to a TFG official, the allied forces' casualties totaled one dead and several wounded TFG soldiers as well as a burned TFG vehicle, while 10 Al-Shabaab militants were killed.
On 21 November 2011 Kenyan military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir warned that the militants planned to release a video clip showing allegedly captured Kenyan soldiers being executed. He said this was part of the propaganda campaign against the operation. He said the relationship of the Kenyan and Somali military with the local people in the areas where Al-Shabaab have been flushed out continues to thrive. “Based on this, we received concrete information of an arms trade and Al-Shabaab infiltration which were countered successfully,” he said in a statement.
Military of Somalia
The Military of Somalia was, up until 1991, made up of the army, navy, air force, and air defense command. The outbreak of the Somali Civil War during that year led to the de facto dissolution of the national armed forces. However, efforts to re-establish a regular armed force by a re-constituted...
, the Kenyan military, the Ethiopian military, the French military, and allegedly the United States military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
that began on an unspecified date in mid-October 2011, when troops from Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
crossed the border into the conflict zones of southern Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. The soldiers were in pursuit of Al-Shabaab militants that are alleged to have kidnapped several foreign tourists and aid workers inside Kenya. According to the Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n Foreign Minister, the operation represents one of the final stages in the Islamist insurgency
War in Somalia (2009–)
The 2009–present phase of the Somali Civil War is concentrated in southern Somalia. It began in early February 2009, with the conflict between, on the one hand, the forces of the Somali Transitional Federal Government assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops, and on the other, various militant...
of the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
.
Overview
Kenya's incursion into southern Somalia started after the kidnapping of two SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
women, who were working for Medecins Sans Frontieres
Médecins Sans Frontières
' , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland...
at the Dadaab
Dadaab
Dadaab is a semi-arid town in the North Eastern Province in Kenya. As of 2011, it hosts what is often described as the largest refugee camp in the world.-General:...
refugee camp. The abductions were allegedly carried out by Al Shabaab militants. The Kenyan government claimed its troop deployment had received approval from the Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
of Somalia (TFG). Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister, Moses Wetangula
Moses Wetangula
Moses Masika Wetangula is a Kenyan politician and Member of Parliament representing Sirisia Constituency. He has been the Minister for Foreign Affairs since January 2008.-Early life:...
, stated that the deployment of Kenyan troops was at the request of the TFG. The Kenyan military said that there was no set exit date for the operation, but the indicator of the mission's success would be a crippling of Al-Shabaab's capacity.
According to The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, "several sources agree[...] that the Kenyan intervention plan was discussed and decided in 2010, then finalised with input from western partners, including the US and to a lesser extent France", with Nairobi using the kidnappings "as an excuse to launch an operation ready and waiting." On 27 October Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua said that the incursion had been planned months in advance and that the operation had been "going on for quite some time", as well as denying any participation by western forces. The operation has a high approval rating from the Kenyan population.
On 16 October, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that Somalian and Kenyan military officials had met over the weekend for talks in the town of Dhobley, situated near the Somalia-Kenya border. According to an unidentified security source, "A team comprising Kenya Army and Rapid Deployment Unit [police] officers left our border last evening and went to Dhobley. They held a meeting with top officers of the TFG [Somali] forces for about two hours before they came back[...] The meeting was to prepare a joint operation between the two forces which is meant to launch an offensive against Al-Shabaab rebels who are scattered in different parts of southern Somalia".
On 16 October, an unnamed Somali military commander said that Kenyan troops had crossed the border and in a joint operation with Somalian forces pushed Al Shabaab out of two bases near the Kenyan border. Abdi Yusuf, a senior Somali military commander, confirmed that two warplanes had attacked Al Shabaab bases, but did not confirm whether they were Kenyan. He noted: "I can't identify the military aircraft, but our neighbour Kenya is fully supporting us militarily and our mission is to drive Al-Shabaab out of the region". In response to the incursion, Somalia's ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Nur, was quoted as stating: "We cannot condone any country crossing our border." TFG spokesman Abdirahman Omar Yarisow later contradicted Nur, asserting that "the governments of Somalia and Kenya are now cooperating in the fight against Al-Shabaab."
On 18 October, Somalia's President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and other TFG officials hosted a Kenyan delegation in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
to discuss security issues cooperation against Al-Shabaab. Somalia's Defence Minister Hussein Arab Isse
Hussein Arab Isse
Hussein Arab Isse is a Somali politician. He is the current Minister of Defense of Somalia.-References:...
and Kenya's Minister of Defence Mohamed Yusuf Haji then signed an agreement to collaborate against Al-Shabaab. Both countries pledged to "co-operate in undertaking security and military operations", including "co-ordinated pre-emptive action". The agreement reportedly restricts Kenyan activities to the southern Lower Juba region.
Despite media reports claiming otherwise, Kenyan defence minister Yusuf Haji denied the involvment of the Kenyan military in the capture by TFG forces of some Al-Shabaab bases in lower Juba. He added that "Kenya trained more TFG troops in the past and they are battling now against al-Shabaab in southern Somalia regions and we are giving them both logistical and financial support." Somalia's Defence Minister Isse welcomed Kenya's participation, stating that Somalia "need[ed] the support of Kenya so that our forces will be able to end al-Shabaab or any other threats against both Kenya and Somalia".
On 24 October, President Ahmed stated again that although he welcomed Kenyan logistical support, he was against the Kenyan military presence. These statements before the press appeared to contradict the signed cooperative agreement between the Somalian and Kenyan Defence ministers on 18 October. Ahmed claimed his administration and people in Somalia opposed the presence of Kenyan troops since the Somalian federal government "had no agreement with Kenya beyond helping us with logistics". According to media, Ahmed's remarks may have stemmed from fears that the Kenyan government supported the establishment of an autonomous Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
in the south of Somalia. Ahmed had reportedly previously protested the deployment 2500 Somalis trained in Kenya to southern Somalia, arguing that the forces be sent to Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
to support the TFG there.
A leaked 2010 cable detailing a meeting between the TFG and the United States government (USG) states that "Sharif offered a qualified "yes" when asked if he supported the [Government of Kenya's (GOK)] Lower Juba initiative" and that he "told the GOK that the TFG did not want to see Somalia further divided[...] The GOK had reassured the TFG that it also did not want to see Somalia divided and that it intended to use the troops now being trained in Kenya for a national not a regional mission." The cable also suggests that "[Ahmed's] qualified willingness to support the long-incubated Kenyan Lower Juba initiative at this meeting was at variance with the skepticism he had expressed to Somalia Unit in Nairobi about two weeks ago", where Sharif "suggested that the troops in training at Isiolo did not have broad-based clan representation and speculated that it might be better to bring them to Mogadishu and integrate them into existing TFG security forces. He also in that meeting seemed more skeptical of the GOK's ability to manage a cross-border offensive." In addition, the cable states that "Sharif predicted that efforts to reform TFG security forces in Mogadishu, TFG outreach to ASWJ, and troops trained by Kenya and Ethiopia would coalesce into a comprehensive effort to push al-Shabaab out of south central Somalia."
Prime Minister of Somalia Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali is a Somali economist and politician. He is the Prime Minister of Somalia.-Personal life:Ali is originally from the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia. He holds both Somali and American citizenship....
had released a statement indicating that the military operation would help firm up on regional security. However, he later reportedly disowned any pact that the Somalian authorities had with the Kenyan government to cross the border into Somalia, stating that "We do not have agreement with Kenya. We understand that we need to defend against the militants but there is no proof saying that we agreed with Kenya". He dismissed media reports suggesting he disagreed with the President. The two issued a joint statement on 27 October denying any agreement between the TFG and Kenyan government to allow the Kenyan incursion into Somalia.
In allusion to a cooperative agreement with the Kenyan government reached before the October 18th Mogadishu pact, Somalian Defence Minister Isse also indicated that "the Somali Government and the Kenyan ministers only agreed to tackle the fighting against Al-Shabaab jointly by Kenya supporting the Somali forces."
The opposition to Kenya's action was criticised by some other TFG officials, militia allied to the TFG, and many ordinary Somalians. Many felt that Sharif did not fully understand the negative impact of Al-Shabaab's actions on the general public. Protests reportedly took place in the towns of Dhobley, Tabto and Qoqani, areas where Kenyan troops had passed through. His position reportedly conflicted with that of some Somalian military and TFG officials, the latter of whom considered the deployment of Kenyan troops to be an extension of Kenya's support in ousting the Al-Shabaab rebels.
On 31 October, a Somalian delegation led by Prime Minister Ali met in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
with the Kenyan Premier Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
and other government officials to iron out differences and to outline a joint strategy vis-a-vis Operation Linda Nchi. After lengthy talks, the delegations issued a joint communique pledging coordinated military, political and diplomatic support for the mission, requesting that AMISOM peacekeepers police areas captured from Al-Shabaab, and that the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
(ICC) begin formal investigations against the group's commanders. The communique declared that "the Somalia government supports the activities of the Kenyan forces, which are being fully coordinated with the TFG of Somalia". The Kenyan Premier Odinga took the opportunity to dispel media reports alleging that the Kenyan government supported plans to form an autonomous Jubaland region in southern Somalia. He also emphasized that Kenya had no "imperialist designs", and that, in order to encourage post-conflict reconstruction, the Somalian and Kenyan governments would collectively support the establishment of local administrations in liberated areas according to domestic consensus. In addition, Somalian Prime Minister Ali urged the international community to support the joint operation, and stated that the mission "would be led by Somali forces with support of Kenyan forces". The two delegations also formed a joint "high-level co-ordinating committee" to maintain regular contacts between their respective governments.
On 12 November, Lindsay Kiptiness, a senior official in Kenya's Foreign Ministry, announced that the Kenyan government was attempting to secure the support of TFG backers from the Arab and Islamic worlds. Asked to comment by the BBC on Kenya's bid for assistance, former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia David H. Shinn
David H. Shinn
David H. Shinn is an Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs...
indicated that since Kenya is not a member of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
and Somalia is, "if the TFG and Kenya have coordinated their positions, it is possible the Arab League, which has been supportive of the TFG in the past, might issue a positive statement on Kenya’s involvement in Somalia." Shinn added that "the Arab League is not likely to offer any tangible support", but that "a positive statement might, however, encourage one or more Arab League members on their own to offer tangible support."
On 17 November, Somalia's President Sharif Ahmed met in Nairobi with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
and the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician and statesman. He has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985...
. All three leaders agreed on a joint approach in combating the Al Shabaab militia so as to assure regional security.
On 18 November, Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
reported that an alliance of countries in East Africa were planning a broader joint military campaign to quash Al-Shabaab. An Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Intergovernmental Authority on Development
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight-country regional development organization in East Africa. Its headquarters are located in Djibouti City....
(IGAD) meeting slated for 25 November would reportedly urge all member nations, including Ethiopia, to contribute troops to the operation. Ethiopian officials indicated that no decision had officially been reached with regard to joining the troop contributing nations. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti stated that "You can simply guess Ethiopia is going to be part and parcel of this process[...] The decision is not made as to sending the army, but per the IGAD council's resolutions of the past months, all IGAD member countries, the African Union and others also will be summoned, will be called, will be expected to somehow contribute something to strengthening the operations in Somalia."
On 19 November, local residents reported witnessing 28 Ethiopian military trucks and APCs loaded with troops establish a forward base in Guri'el
Guri'el
Guri'el , also spelled Guriel, is a town in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia. It is the center of the Guriceel District.-References:*...
. Ethiopian government spokesman Shimeles Kemal would not confirm or deny the report. However, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Dina Mufti dismissed the reports of the Ethiopian military's deployment as "absolutely not true, there are absolutely no troops in Somalia[...] People are simply speculating". Mufti added that "there is an intention on the part of IGAD members to bolster peacekeeping forces, because as you know the regional countries are working on increasing the numbers of AMISOM". Somalian government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman also denied that Ethiopian troops had entered the country, stating that the Ethiopian military would first "need a mandate" or a bilateral agreement since the TFG "don't want anyone that could give propaganda for al-Shabab[...] We don't want any backlash."
On 21 November, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki met in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
with the President of the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as part of a state visit. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to stabilizing the security situation in southern Somalia and supporting post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the territory.
Following a multinational IGAD conference held in Addis Ababa on 25 November, IGAD Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim announced that the Ethiopian government had agreed to support Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, the Kenyan authorities and the African Union's campaign to quash the Al-Shabaab insurgency. Maalim did not elaborate on what exactly Ethiopia's role would be, stating that "We leave that to the national security forces to decide." On 25 November, an Ethiopian government official acknowledged for the first time that Ethiopian troops had entered Somalian territory for reconnoitring duties. After the IGAD meeting held the same day in Ethiopia's capital, the government official, who requested anonymity, indicated that the Ethiopian government would deploy troops inside Somalia to assist the Somalian and Kenyan forces' efforts. He added that the Ethiopian military's activities were for the moment limited to liaison work and reconnaissance, but that "We are looking at a brief period of time, weeks. We don't want our deployment to be used for propaganda by the extremists".
Al-Shabaab
The Al-Shabaab Islamist group is the main target of the operation. Al-Shabaab officially denied involvement in any of the kidnappings. Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, a spokesman for the group, said that its fighters would attack Kenya unless the Kenyan troops are withdrawn. He also claimed that bombardment by Kenyan aircraft had caused damage to infrastructure and civilian casualties. According to Al-Jazeera, Al-Shabaab have attempted to capitalize on the incursion by depicting itself as a resistance force fighting foreign occupiers and urged local residents to take up arms against the Kenyan soldiers. According to the Kenyan government, the organization is supported by Eritrea.Somalia
On 18 October, President of Somalia Sharif Ahmed and other TFG officials hosted a Kenyan delegation in Mogadishu where Somalia's Defence Minister Hussein Arab IsseHussein Arab Isse
Hussein Arab Isse is a Somali politician. He is the current Minister of Defense of Somalia.-References:...
and Kenya's Minister of Defence Mohamed Yusuf Haji agreed to collaborate against Al-Shabaab. On 24 October, Ahmed again stated that although he welcomed Kenyan logistical support, he was against the Kenyan military presence, contradicting the agreement made on the 18th. He and the Somalian Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali issued a joint statement on 27 October denying any agreement between the TFG and Kenyan government to allow the Kenyan incursion into Somalia, a stance criticised by other TFG officials. A joint communique issued on 31 October by the Prime Ministers of Somalia and Kenya on behalf of their respective governments noted "the current operations are being led by the TFG of Somalia Forces with the support of the Kenyan Defence Forces".
Kenya
According to the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Kenya had not "actively engaged" in the conflict in southern Somalia
War in Somalia (2009–)
The 2009–present phase of the Somali Civil War is concentrated in southern Somalia. It began in early February 2009, with the conflict between, on the one hand, the forces of the Somali Transitional Federal Government assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops, and on the other, various militant...
prior to this operation. According to a correspondent with The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, Kenya had previously been supporting at least two militias in southern Somalia in a proxy war against Al-Shabaab, but moved instead to a direct presence of Kenyan troops once that strategy had failed. Kenya's military is regarded as inexperienced and reporters voiced doubts that it has the capacity to conduct the required logistical operations. A joint communique issued on 31 October by the Kenyan and Somalian governments stated that the Kenyan forces were fully cooperating with Somali forces in a TFG led operation.
An African Union initiative calls for the Kenyan soldiers to eventually be brought under AMISOM's command.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia's possible involvement in the coordinated operation was formally raised in November, following an IGAD initiative calling for all member nations to contribute troops to the effort against Al-Shabaab.Media subsequently reported eye witness accounts alleging that Ethiopian troops had set up positions in border areas of southern Somalia. This marks Ethiopia's first large scale intervention in the Somali Civil War since January 2009, when it withdrew troops after an inconclusive effort to support the Transitional Federal Government by defeating the Islamic Courts Union. Ethiopian officials would not comment directly on the troop build-up in Guri'el
Guri'el
Guri'el , also spelled Guriel, is a town in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia. It is the center of the Guriceel District.-References:*...
, where it had previously established a base during its 2006 intervention, but at least one suggested that Ethiopia could be expected to join the operation.
After a multinational IGAD conference held on 25 November in Addis Ababa, IGAD announced that the Ethiopian government had agreed to support the allied forces' campaign against Al-Shabaab. Ethiopia's exact role in the operation, however, was not specified. The Ethiopian government also admitted that its soldiers had entered Somalia for reconnaissance duties, and indicated that, while its current activities were limited to liaison work and reconnoitring, its troop deployment would be brief.
France
Kenyan military officials said on 23 October that FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
had joined the operation, with the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
shelling Al Shabaab positions on the Somali coast. They also attributed air-strikes against Al Shabaab that had increased since the start of Operation Linda Nchi to either France or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, the French embassy in Kenya denied that the French navy had taken part in such an operation, and said that "there are no French warships in the vicinity of this area" and that the "embassy would appreciate if the newspapers would kindly correct the false impression created on this matter". A spokesman for the French military also told French media that no French forces were engaged in Somalia. On 25 October, Col Thierry Burkhard of the French military specified that French planes were transporting military equipment to Kenyan troops at an airport near the Somalian border. However, he likewise denied claims by Kenyan army officials that a French warship had shelled positions in Somalia.
United States
Although Kenyan officials have alleged support by United States aircraft, the U.S. government has not confirmed its participation in the operation.According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Air Force has been sharing surveillance data with the Kenyan military that it gathered via unarmed MQ-9 Reaper
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
drones flying out of Arba Minch
Arba Minch
Arba Minch is a city in southern Ethiopia; less common names for this city include Ganta Garo and Minghi. Located in the Gamo Gofa Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region about 500 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, at an elevation of 1285 meters above sea level...
in southern Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Also known as "hunter drones", the planes have been used for intelligence activities in Somalia and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and also possess the ability to transport missiles and satellite-guided bombs.
Eritrea
The United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
has consistently accused Eritrea of aiding Al-Shabaab. In early November 2011, media reports also claimed that the Eritrean government had sent two plane-loads of arms to Al-Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia. Eritrea's Foreign Minister issued a press release dismissing the charges as "pure fabrication and outright lies", and suggested that the reports were part of a "disinformation campaign" with the intended effect of discrediting Eritrea.
On 3 November, Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula met with the Eritrean ambassador to Kenya to seek clarification on intelligence allegations that weapons were being flown to Al-Shabaab from Eritrea. Wetangula later told the press on 11 November that Kenya would consider "reviewing diplomatic ties" with Eritrea if the Eritrean government did not provide a satisfactory account of the situation.
On 12 November, Eritrea's envoy to Nairobi Beyene Russom told the press that his government had no objections vis-a-vis Operation Linda Nchi. He blamed the allegations that Eritrea was supplying weapons to Al-Shabaab on lack of due diligence on the part of the media. Russom also accused Ethiopia, stating that "We have nothing against Kenya. This piling up of accusations is the work, as we believe, of Ethiopia to camouflage its illegal military occupation of Eritrean territory. What is being said now about the planeload of weapons to Al-Shabaab again we believe is a creation of Ethiopia." With regard to Wetangula's warning that the Kenyan government would severe ties, Russom indicated that Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
believed the Kenyan authorities were acting on false information. Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed
Osman Saleh Mohammed
Osman Saleh Mohammed was the first Minister of Education for Eritrea following Independence, serving in that position from 1993 to 2007. He has overseen the transition from the revolutionary EPLF school system to a National education system...
is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi for talks on the issue.
Other
On 21 October, the regional IGAD met in Addis AbabaAddis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
and agreed unanimously to support the coordinated military operation in southern Somalia. Ethopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
Deputy Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegne
Haile Mariam Desalegne
Haile-Mariam Desalegne is an Ethiopian politician. Widely-known to be one of the stooges of Ethiopian dictator Meles Zenawi, he was President of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region from November 2001 to March 2006 and was promoted as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of...
also indicated that his country may join the military campaign, as "the long term goal is to eradicate al Shabaab from Somalia and this is the proper time and the process shows al-Shabaab is coming to an end".
On 29 October, at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, , is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. Every two years the meeting is held in a different member state, and is chaired by that nation's respective Prime Minister or President, who becomes the...
in Perth
Perth
Perth may refer to:* Perth, Scotland, the administrative centre of the Perth and Kinross council area * Perth, Western Australia, the capital of Western AustraliaPerth may also refer to:-Places:...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Rwanda President Paul Kagame
Paul Kagame
Paul Kagame is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Rwanda. He rose to prominence as the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front , whose victory over the incumbent government in July 1994 effectively ended the Rwandan genocide...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
both pledged support for the mission, after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki informed them of the joint operations with the Somali government. Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n President Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is the 4th and current President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Kikwete was born in Msoga, Bagamoyo District, Tanganyika in present day Tanzania...
pledged support to regional, continental, and international bodies with aims to stabilise the Horn of Africa.
On 14 November, the office of Israeli
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
said that it had made an offer to Kenyan PM Odinga to help Kenyan authorities secure the nation's borders and detect al-Shabaab networks in the country. Kenya requested vehicles for border patrols, aide developing its police forces, and sea-surveillance equipment.
Events
On 17 October, media reported that Somalian Transitional Federal GovernmentTransitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
(TFG) forces had taken control of the town of Qoqani. Kenyan air support reportedly assisted in the battle, with attack helicopters bombarding Al-Shabaab positions. Some reports also suggested involvement by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military, though Somalian and Kenyan officials alluded only to Kenyan participation in the clash. TFG spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman indicated that Kenyan troops were only supplying "logistical and moral support" and that Somalian military officers were actually combating the Islamist militants. The number of casualties is unknown.
One Z-9 helicopter
Harbin Z-9
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
is reported to have been lost due to mechanical failure while undertaking support operations in Liboi
Liboi
Liboi is a town in North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is located 18 kilometres west of the Somali border, and is an important border crossing point to Somalia. Liboi is located along the A3 road, 75 kilometres east of Dadaab and 175 kilometres east of Garissa, the provincial and district capital...
town. 5 Kenyan soldiers died in the crash. The operation reportedly involves "truckloads" of soldiers, helicopters, and warplanes. At least two Kenyan battalions of 800 men each have been committed to the campaign.
A car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
exploded in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
as Kenyan ministers visited the capital on 18 October, leaving at least two people dead and 15 injured. On October 24, French media reported that the Somalian army and Kenyan troops were advancing toward the southern town of Afmadow
Afmadow
Afmadow is a city in southern Somalia, located in the middle of the Juba region and bordered by Kenya, Badhadhe, Kismayo, Jamame, Jilib, Hagar, Bardhere and Elwaq in Somalia, 620 km south of the capital Mogadishu. It is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including the Big Five game. The...
, with the eventual aim of seizing Kismayo from the Islamists. Eyewitnesses report that al-Shabaab had confiscated trucks to bring fresh troops to Afmadow and started building an entrenchment system.
Early on 24 October, a Russian made F1 grenade was detonated in the Mwauras disco in Kenya's captial Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. The detonation injured 14 people. The local police linked the attack to al-Shabaab. It was followed by a second attack at evening against a bus stop. The second attacked killed at least one person and injured eight. A suspect was arrested and pleaded guilty for both attacks. He said that he is a member of al-Shabaab. Identified by the media as Elgiva Bwire Oliacha (alias Mohamed Seif), a recent Kenyan Muslim convert, he was sentenced to life in prison after having pleaded guilty. The man reportedly smiled at cameras, stated that he harbored no regrets, and indicated that he would not appeal his sentence.
According to Somalian military officials, air-strikes bombed targets in the southern town of Kismayo, an al-Shabaab stronghold. Although the origin of the assault jet could not be determined, French media have speculated that it could belong to the French military. Al-Shabaab said that the attack has caused no casualties.
On 27 October, four civilians were killed when their car was attacked by unidentified assailants near the Kenyan-Somali border in Mandera
Mandera
Mandera is a town in North Eastern Province, Kenya. It is capital of the Mandera District. The town is located at around , near the borders with Ethiopia and Somalia. It has a population of 30,433 ....
. It is, however, unclear whether al-Shabaab was behind the attack.
On 28 October, a Kenyan military convoy was ambushed by Al-Shabaab militants between the towns of Tabda and Bilis Qoqani in southern Somalia. Assisting Somalian federal troops, the convoy was positioned 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from the border, on the Kismayo route, According to the BBC, the ambush represents the Kenyan troops' first confrontation with Al-Shabaab insurgents and reportedly lasted 30 minutes. A spokesman for the Kenyan military told the press that the attack left nine Al-Shabaab fighters dead and two Kenyan soldiers injured. Abdul Asis Abu Muscab, a spokesman for the group, also indicated that the ambush represented the beginning of the fighting and that further attacks would ensue.
On 30 October, Kenya Air Force fighter jets bombed the town of Jilib
Jilib
Jilib is a town in Somalia, with an estimated population of approximately 45,000. It is located on the main road from Mogadishu south to Kismayo and is the most populous town in the Middle Juba Region.The Islamic Courts Union was defeated there in the Battle of Jilib December 2006 January 2007...
, killing 10 and injuring at least 45. Some of these were reported to be civilians. Kenya admitted conducting an air raid but blames al-Shabaab for the death of the civilians. Kenya's prime minister Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
said that civilian deaths were regrettable and any incidents would result in an investigation. he however blamed alshabab for causing the civilian casualties by stating that an alshabab technical mounted with a machinegun that was targeted during the air raid drove into a civilian compound while on fire and exploded, leading to civilian casualties.
On 31 October, TFG troops killed at least ten Al-Shabaab insurgents during clashes in Busar and Modaale, villages near the town of Elwak. TFG forces were reported to be nearing the port of Burgabo, 140 kilometres south of Kismayo. On 1 November the Kenyan military announced that it would attack ten Somali towns including Kismayo. By 2 November Al-Shabaab began conscripting residents to help defend the entrenched Kismayo, while at sea a skiff carrying fuel was sunk by the Kenyan navy killing 18 militants.
On 3 November, Kenyan military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir warned Kenyan and Somalian merchants via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
not to sell donkeys to Al-Shabaab, as the group has now "resorted to using donkeys to transport their weapons." He also cautioned the public that any "large concentration and movement of loaded donkeys will be considered an al-Shabab activity."
On 10 November, al-Shabaab fighters ambushed a Kenyan convoy in between the towns of Tabda and Bills Qoqani. The fighting which started in the afternoon continued overnight and according to al-Shabaab they managed to kill 30 Kenyan troops and destroy six Kenyan military trucks. The TFG, however, claimed only 21 soldiers had been killed and that only three trucks were destroyed, while four were captured by al-Shabaab. Kenya,s military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir was however quick to deny the claims, and stated that alshabab had resorted to a propaganda campaign and categorically stated that the reports carried on Irans's press tv to be unsubstantiated and completely false."Attention of the Ministry of State for Defence has been drawn to the influx of propaganda and false information in regards to the on-going operation in Somalia. The continued false reporting by Press TV and other like minded media is unacceptable and should not be taken as factual information and events," said Major Chirchir.
On 16 November, TFG and Kenyan forces attacked an Al-Shabaab base in Busar. An Al-Shabaab official alleged that his group had killed 8 and captured 3 allied soldiers during the battle. Kenyan military officials denied the claim, saying that the joint forces had killed 12 militants but incurred no casualties. Later that day, al-Shabaab attacked Raskamboni movement
Raskamboni movement
The Raskamboni movement is a Somali paramilitary group active in Jubaland led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe. The Raskomboni are opposed to the radical islamist group al-Shabab.-History:...
positions in the town of Kulbio near Dobley.
On 19 November, Kenyan Colonel Cyrus Oguna told the press that information and intelligence volunteered by local residents in southern Somalia had greatly assisted Kenyan forces. He cited captured Al-Shabaab positions as a testimony to this fact, and suggested that more areas would be secured courtesy of this information. The volunteered intelligence had also reportedly helped the soldiers successfully manage a change in tactics by the Al-Shabaab militants, the latter of whom had reportedly resorted to disguising themselves as women in order to escape the joint Somalian and Kenyan troops.
On 20 November, Kenyan forces assisted by warships reportedly destroyed an Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda training facility in Hola Wajeer, situated in Lower Juba's Badhadhe District. A military convoy of Somalian and Kenyan troops was also ambushed in between the towns of Tabto and Dobley. According to a TFG official, the allied forces' casualties totaled one dead and several wounded TFG soldiers as well as a burned TFG vehicle, while 10 Al-Shabaab militants were killed.
On 21 November 2011 Kenyan military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir warned that the militants planned to release a video clip showing allegedly captured Kenyan soldiers being executed. He said this was part of the propaganda campaign against the operation. He said the relationship of the Kenyan and Somali military with the local people in the areas where Al-Shabaab have been flushed out continues to thrive. “Based on this, we received concrete information of an arms trade and Al-Shabaab infiltration which were countered successfully,” he said in a statement.