Three suspected Shabaab terrorists were on Thursday killed by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) at Sarira area near the Lamu-Somalia border.
This is shortly after the three planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the route that saw a water bowser damaged slightly after it ran over it.
KDF Spokesperson Brigadier Zipporah Kioko has confirmed, adding that two militants plus their leader were killed in the 9am incident.
KDF spokesperson Brig. Zipporah Kioko
Photo credit: File I Nation Media Group
She said the three were ambushed by the KDF of the Special Forces (SF) unit who were on patrol in the area.
Brigadier Kioko said several assortments of weapons, including two AK47 riffles, two radios, and three magazines were captured during the morning incident.
“Our officers of the Special Forces on patrol at Sarira area managed to neutralize three Al-Shabaab terrorists at around 9 am. The militants had planted an IED that a water bowser ran over it and got slight damage. The Special Forces went after the Al-Shabaab in hot pursuit. They killed the three, including their leader. The situation on the ground has been stabilized since 10.30 am. There were no injuries reported,” said Brigadier Kioko.
The killing of the three terrorists adds to the list of achievements that the multi-agency security Operation Amani Boni has in recent times recorded.
Since its commencement, the operation has witnessed reduced attacks and ambushed by the Al-Shabaab militants, particularly in the Boni forest villages and other parts of Lamu County.
This has seen villages like Mararani and Milimani, both inside Boni forest breathing life again.
Between 2015 and 2017, the villages were deserted by locals who fled to Manisa in Kiunga, Madina, and Kiangwe for fear of insecurity caused by the Al-Shabaab.
Nation.Africa this week established that, out of the 80 households that had vacated Mararani in Boni forest about five years ago, 45 had already returned owing to the improved security in the village and the entire Boni forest areas.
In Milimani, around 50 households are living there unlike before where less than 20 families had remained.
The peace and stability experienced in the Boni forest has also impacted positively on the population with most of the villages, particularly Mangai, Basuba, and Kiangwe witnessing an increase in households and the general population.
Initially, Mangai, which is the largest village in terms of population in the entire Boni forest, had 90 households.
Today, the village prides itself of having 115 households according to local administrators interviewed by the Nation this week.
At Basuba, households have increased from 50 to 67 while in Kiangwe village, the households have risen from an initial 100 to 130.
Operation Amani Boni was launched by the national government in September 2015 with the primary objective being to flush out Shabaab militants believed to be hiding in the dense Boni Forest.
The operation was initially dubbed ‘Linda Boni’ before undergoing various rebranding to Boni Enclave Campaign, Operation Fagia Msitu, and now Operation Amani Boni (OAB).
Its efforts are majorly centred on stabilizing Lamu County and parts of Garissa, Tana River, Kilifi, and other areas bordering the expansive Boni forest and towards the Kenya-Somalia border.
It is undertaken by the KDF, National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) with KDF designated as the lead agency.
