Kenya Defence Forces troops on patrol in Liboi. Photo/FILE
A third shipment of arms has been made to Al-Shabaab, the Somali terror group that Kenyan troops are fighting, military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir has said. (Read: Two planes fly arms to Al-Shabaab)
“We can positively confirm that another aircraft with weapons has landed in Somalia,” he said.
The arms are believed to have originated from Eritrea, which the United Nations and the international community has accused of arming the militants.
The weapons delivered are for retaliatory attacks against Kenyan troops. The military has announced that it will launch airstrikes to destroy them.
“We are concentrating on how to disarm the enemy,” Maj Chirchir was quoted by AFP as saying.
Eritrea, which seceded from Ethiopia and has fought a war against it, has supported Somali groups that are opposed to Ethiopia.
On Wednesday, Eritrea issued a statement denying arming Al-Shabaab and accused its bitter enemy, Ethiopia, of fabricating the reports.
“The Government of Eritrea states categorically that these accusations are pure fabrications and outright lies as Eritrea has not sent any arms to Somalia,” the statement read.
The Eritrean authorities claimed they have never advocated a military solution to the Somali problem, but a Somali-owned political process “inclusive of Somaliland, Puntland and all other key stakeholders.”
“Tuesday’s baseless accusations are the latest product of disinformation campaign orchestrated to undermine Eritrea and frustrate its constructive regional and international engagement. Chief among the authors of this campaign is Ethiopia, which is not only occupying sovereign Eritrean territory in violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions, but is also the main cause of destabilisation in the Horn of Africa,” the statement added.
“Eritrea’s sole interest in Somalia is to see peace and stability return. There can be no military solution to the problem of Somalia,” the statement read.
Warned residents
On Tuesday, the Kenyan military warned residents of 10 towns, namely, Baidoa, Baadheere, Baydhabo, Dinsur, Afgooye, Bwale, Barawe, Jilib, Kismayu and Afmadow not to go near Al-Shabaab bases because it would strike them to destroy the weapons.
On Wednesday, there were reports that fear had gripped residents of the towns in southern Somalia.
Media reports quoted residents of Baadheere, Kismayu, Baidoa and Afmadow saying many people planned to flee to the bush or to Kenya to escape the imminent attacks.