Kenyan defense forces (KDF) serving as part of African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have withdrawn from El Addde base, residents confirmed to Radio Shabelle.

KDF pulled out of the base after suspecting the area water wells being poisoned by Al shabaab, the Al Qaeda-linked militants who attacked Kenyan army base El Adde in January 15, 2016.

Meanwhile, Kenya Army spokesperson Colonel David Obonyo told the BBC that the withdrawal of El Adde base was part of normal military movements.

Military spokesman David Obonyo responded to latest claims by Governor Nur Burale of Garbaharey Town in Gedo region who said 200 Kenyan soldiers died in the dawn attack.

“That is propaganda. The figure is way beyond the number expected in a company which has 120 people. There are many soldiers who survived. Some were airlifted to Nairobi while others are in Wajir awaiting deployment,” he said.

Col Obonyo, however, declined to give the death toll or the number of survivors and missing soldiers.