[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Al-Shabaab strongholds around Mogadishu have been bombed in a surprise missile attack.At least three huge kabooms rocked regions held by the krazed killer groups on Sunday, witnesses said on Monday.
But it was unclear who had launched the missiles.
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Two other kabooms were reported on Sunday night in the K50 area, some 50km from Mogadishu, also held by the Al-Qaeda-linked cut-thoats.
"We saw a huge light and a heavy kaboom followed, like a missile striking, but we don't know if there are casualties," said Mr Abdikarin Isa, a resident of Afgoye, a sprawling encampment of displaced people.
Mr Abdullahi Jumale, another witness, said what he believed to be a missile hit near an orphanage.
"I was having dinner when I saw huge light coming from the western side of the town and there was heavy kaboom, it hit near Tadamun orphanage," he said.
Witnesses also said other kabooms were heard near military camps of Al-Shabaab.
"We heard heavy kabooms, something like a missiles, striking several areas in the region including Ambareso and K50 area," said Mr Idiris Moalim, a local elder.
"Some of these kabooms happened at Al-Shabaab military camps and checkpoints but nothing is quite clear so far," he added.
"There was another heavy kaboom near Lantaburo, there was fire and smoke but I cannot say what exactly happened," Mr Mohamed Ali, another witness in K50, told the Nation on telephone.
None of the witnesses reported any aircraft flying overhead, leading to speculation that the missiles were fired from ships in the Indian Ocean.
The attacks came as Kenya secured growing international support for the military operation in Somalia against Al-Shabaab.
On Monday, member states of Indian Ocean Rim that include Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE, and Yemen announced plans for a joint strategy to fight piracy and Al-Shabaab.