Kenya – The Somali Invasion

Sat Feb 4, 2012 12:51pm GMT    Nairobi Feb 4 (Reuters) – Kenya’s military has struck al Shabaab targets in one of the most devastating attacks against the al Qaeda-linked insurgents since it launched an operation in Somalia to crush the rebels last October, a Kenyan army officer said on Saturday. Two helicopter gunships hit a convoy of al Shabaab in Dalayat village in southern Somalia on Friday evening, following intelligence that the fighters were planning to attack Kenyan forces in nearby Bhadhadhe. “We got them in their vehicles before they could disembark. Several al Shabaab were killed and many more injured”. Nine vehicles mounted with weapons, known locally as “Technicals”, and nine lorries were destroyed in the attack. There were no Kenyan casualties, he said. An estimated 100 al Shabaab fighters were killed in the attack. The capture of Bhadhadhe and Hosungow town, which was also taken last week, removeS sources of revenue for the rebels because they were used for trafficking goods. The campaign against the rebels in the south, together with another by an African Union force in the capital Mogadishu, are aimed at stabilising Somalia after two decades without an effective central government.  

6 February, 2012

If you want to know what goes on in a country, you talk to the local folks in the country side. Like the ones in Lamu County. Lamu County is a county in Kenya’s coastal region. It is located south of the Equator on Lamu island and was one of the original Swahili settlements along the coast of Eastern Africa. Lamu was founded in the fourteenth century, and has numerous examples of Swahili architecture. Lamu Island has been a port of call for traders for centuries and was also on the main Arabian trading routes. It has a dark and tortured past as it was once a centre for the slave trade. Lamu’s population is therefor largely Muslim and ethnically diverse. It is still a port and its waterfront is busy and bustling with dhows. The streets of Lamu town are very narrow and cool and the people laid back. Due to the narrowness of the streets, cars, lorries etc are not allowed. Donkeys are the main form of transport and bicycles are used too. The streets are enclosed by unique stone townhouses which date back to the early 18th Century.They have heavy carved, wooden front doors that have iron studs, with inner courtyards that offer much needed shade. The doors are very elaborate as they indicate the owner’s status and wealth. Transport by road to Lamu is fairly safe although it is becoming less so as time goes on. It is however long and very tiring as the roads are not great. The journey from Mombasa takes about seven hours and includes the boat ride to Lamu Island. There are several museums, including the Lamu Museum, home to the island’s ceremonial horn (called siwa). Sounds all pretty nice, white beaches and a turquoise sea included but the population today is not happy at all.