Al-Shabaab claims killing 12 Kenyan soldiers

Mogadishu, March 20: Islamist militants Al-Shabaab on Sunday claimed to have killed 12 Kenyan soldiers and captured two others in an ambush in Qoqani village in Lower Jubba region of southern Somalia.

The soldiers were killed in heavy fighting between the militants and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who are serving under the pan African peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) between Qaqani and Afmadow towns, Xinhua reported.

There is no official confirmation of the latest attack from the Kenyan government. The attack came after several of KDF soldiers were killed on January 15 in Gedo region after the militants stormed a military camp in El-Adde.

Al-Shabaab militants said the attack was well planned and that they also torched six armed military vehicles during the attack, which came two days after KDF killed 19 of the insurgents in Afmadow.

Reports from the region said there were some airstrikes after the ambush.

IANS