Kenyan Soldiers Kill 12 Al-Shabaab Fighters in Boni Forest

Kenyan security forces have gunned down 12 suspected al-Shabaab fighters inside Boni Forest in Lamu County.

The militants were killed on Thursday after Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers raided their Korisa Kotile camp deep in the vast forest, which has acted as their hideout for long. 

A notorious local commander from the Coast region who has been sharing intelligence and logistical support to terrorists was among those killed during the ambush, according to Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata.

“Our soldiers killed 12 Al-Shabaab militants during the Thursday morning raid and captured one alive. The raid was part of the ongoing KDF operations in pursuit of AS militants who launched a botched attack at Kotile Special Operations Group Camp on 13th March 2020,” said Elungata.

Three AK 47 firearms, seven magazines, and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition were among weapons recovered during the raid. One of the terrorists was also captured alive, Daily Nation reports.

The attack is expected to cripple al-Shabaab’s operations in Kenya as the camp was the group's only remaining base in the country. Most of the militia’s activities in Kenya were being coordinated from this camp.

“The intensified security operations by Kenyan security agencies have significantly degraded al Shabaab leading to killing of those attempting to conduct pockets of attacks in Kenya and leaving others terrified resulting to scaling down of their activities,” said Elungata.