l-Shabaab... Harakat ash-Shabaab al-Mujahidin aka the Mujahideen Youth Movement. It was originally the youth movement of the Islamic Courts, now pretty much all of what's left of it. They are aligned with al-Qaeda but operate more like the Afghan or Pakistani Taliban. The organization's current leader is Ibrahim Haji Jama Mee'aad, also known as Ibrahim
al-Afghani. Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a Kenyan al-Qaeda member, is considered the group's military leader...
bases in a final push to wipe out the turbans.
It was, however, not immediately clear whether the fighter jets that bombed Al-Shabaab's Congo military base north of the port city early on Sunday belonged to Kenya or other allied forces helping in the fight against the turbans.
Under aerial attacks
"It is confirmed that Kismayu has been under aerial attacks, but it is not our troops, it must be one of our allies," military front man Emmanuel Chirchir said.
Kenyan commanders were mobilising their troops in readiness for what is expected to be a fierce battle to capture the town of Afmadow, a strategic transit point for goods illegally trafficked through Kismayu.
Kismayu is Al-Shabaab's nerve centre for operations and its main source of funding and its capture and that of Afmadow will significantly weaken the turbans.
Maj Chirchir said that Lt-Col Jeff Nyaga, who is commanding the Kenyan forces, had reinforced his troops in readiness for what is expected to be a fierce battle to capture Afmadow following reports that Al-Shabaab had dug in to defend the town.
"The commander, Lt-Col Jeff Nyaga, has made adjustment on his troops on ground to occupy a vantage point as Al-Shabaab prepares to fight on this front. Al-Shabaab (is) believed to be heavily regrouping in Bula Haji and moving towards Afmadow," Maj Chirchir said in a statement.
He reported that the rains had subsided, creating good conditions for Kenyan troops to manoeuvre while the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) fighters were already positioned at Hayo ready to join the Kenyan troops in the push to capture Afmadow.
A French naval gunship patrolling Somali waters also bombarded the town of Kuday, south of Kismayu, as the battle to decimate the Death Eaters gained momentum.
It was not immediately clear how many Death Eaters could have been killed or maimed during the attack in Kuday with the French Navy promising to give damage assessment as soon as possible.
The Kenyan troops and their allies from TFG have already occupied the town of Oddo, which they captured on Friday and were said to be advancing towards Burgavo town in their march to Afmadow and Kismayu.
Nearer to the Indian Ocean coast, Kenya is advancing to Kismayu in its effort to isolate the rebel fighters.
On Saturday, the military said it had moved beyond Oddo and had launched an air strike on Munarani, hitting an Al-Shabaab command centre.
Foreign media reports quoted residents saying convoys of armoured vehicles and trucks carrying weaponry, food supplies and tents were seen leaving four military camps in Isiolo on Friday and heading towards the border.