Kenya Defence Forces (KDF)

My recommendations are as follows. 

• Stop meddling in Somali politics.
  
• Close the refugee camps and relocate them to the secured regions in Somalia. The international community will then be forced to tend to the Somali refugee and insecurity menace WITHIN SOMALIA.
  
• Improve your intelligence and secure the bloody border. Close it if you have to!
  

I have outlined these recommendations on this website for years on this website! Your pot bellied generals and corrupt politicians are way over their heads.

Brother Mekatilili. I have read your same "recommendations" before. Nothing against them but:

• Stop meddling in Somali politics.
  

The only reason KDF is in Somalia is to help dismantle terror cells that had absolute potential to destabilize Kenya. Like you said, terror gang members used to room freely along the porous border. I am a witness to that and not once or twice did I have live contacts with them inside our territory. They kill, loot and cross the border with no responsible government on the other side coordinate security.
If they can stop these incursions, recruiting our boys and exporting terror, then KDF will have no reason to be in Somalia. Did you forget where US Embassy bombing was organized from? Do you know how many police officers have lost their lives along that frontier since 1992? Do you remember Amuma patrol base invasions?

• Close the refugee camps and relocate them to the secured regions in Somalia. The international community will then be forced to tend to the Somali refugee and insecurity menace WITHIN SOMALIA.
  

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Which secured regions are you talking about and which international community is willing to venture into that?

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• Improve your intelligence and secure the bloody border. Close it if you have to!
  

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How do you close Mandera to Kiunga border? Please give us an idea. Easier said than done. In 2001 I was lucky to tour US/Mexico border as part of overseas training. That was in 2001 and in 2016, still that US border is not fully secure! 
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Ole Sidai wrote:

This nasty attack changes everything. I expect big muscle and massive but tactical retaliation once whole dust settles down. There is always a % of write off in any war guys but this is an absolute punch. It is up to KDF and not AU or UN to exact revenge. I have no doubt in KDF ability on this.......watch my words.

That is the only reaction that should be undertaken and in a manner and way that speaks for itself without much explanation.

Quick facts:
*Kenya has the smallest continent for a major AMISOM power at 3 battalions 
*Kenya also has the largest area of responsibility from Kismayo all the way to Gedo region.
*AMISOM HQ is largely an ineffective office for press briefings and hardly does effective coordination because individual nations most times have individual objectives that haven't been reconciled to the common mission objective. Due to this, some nations may feel reluctant to offer reinforcements during such attacks and others may even subvert others to further their cause (Note: THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LINE)
*AMISOM has no budget,provision or allowance for an air component and thus all air ops conducted in Somalia by KDF Air Forces are national operations independent of AMISOM ops (a very convenient roadblock for our frenemies).

Now to the el ade attack, and I feel it is important to point out at this point that all information given here is my personal deduction and opinion and not that of KDF or any government agency.
Shabab inserts recce units into the town a month ago. Their objectives: reconnoiter the area for routes and weakness in the camps perimeter defences and exert influence over the towns population to enlist them in their plans either willingly or under fear of retribution if necessary.
Soon they figure out that for effective raid to be carried out, all KDF heavy fire support present in the camp must be neutralised for their op to have any chance of success.
Plan is mooted to find away to divert the attention of the heavies while they launch an attack on the camp. Diversion has to be effective enough to guarantee that should the heavies find a way back it would be too late to matter.
Two weeks later, scheduled rotation takes place and Kamagut 9KR moves in to occupy. A company sized detachment is inserted into el ade together with armour elements from Gilgil. 
Meanwhile, Kebabs start streaming into the town in small groups of men and morph into the local civilian population. They preceding elements prevent the towns residents from moving out and alerting KDF recce of some fishy business going on.
The VBIEDs are slowly towed into the town mainly at night so as not to attract attention. In the daytime they are well hidden in pre scouted areas and camouflaged from sight.
Once in the town, kebabs are now at full strength, a detachment is given orders to attack nearby SNA camp and cause as much raucous as possible. The remainder of the unit will concentrate on KDF el ade.
At 4 am, 1st detachment launches raid on SNA camp. Now KDF units karibu hearing this have a reason to worry as 4 am is morning prayer time and for the SNA units that almost exclusively Muslim, 4 am is a time to squeeze out as much down time as possible.
Camp CO gives order for heavy units to rush n reinforce the camp n prevent a kebab take over. AMLs and a small detachment race to the rescue. Meanwhile camp goes on full alert and soldiers rush to their posts.
Once the big 90s are clear of the area, the firs of the VBIEDs is fired up and driven right to the barricades. The explosion takes out the outer sentries in their posts. As soldiers rush to seal the hole, the second one comes crashing through and takes out the reinforcement .. Third one in quick succession drives right to the centre of the camp and detonates taking out comms. The jahils now rush in in their hundreds taking advantage of the confusion and lack of command coordination (dead comms). 
The detached 90's hearing the explosion now turn back to reinforce their mother camp. Meanwhile with SNA high tailing the 1st detachment of kebabs now are free to rejoin the larger force. On the way back, the AMLs are ambushed by an other group that was waiting for them and with the 1st detachment catching up they are now caught between two walls of lead.
Word gets out to battalion hq of the attack and hq request CAS from army rotaries. The supporting CAS birds find heavy anti air artillery waiting for them and they are now reduced to taking shots of opportunity. Meanwhile the unit on the ground realising it can not manage to push kebabs back with most of their heavies incapacitated decides to pull back.
Support units now coming in from el awley find a road heavily littered with IEDs and sporadic ambushes. This slows them down to a painful pace all the while squeezing support from the beiges company in ade.

That's the short of it. I guess potbellied generals really are to blame eh?:roll:

jasiri wrote:Quick facts:
*Kenya has the smallest continent for a major AMISOM power at 3 battalions 
*Kenya also has the largest area of responsibility from Kismayo all the way to Gedo region.
*AMISOM HQ is largely an ineffective office for press briefings and hardly does effective coordination because individual nations most times have individual objectives that haven't been reconciled to the common mission objective. Due to this, some nations may feel reluctant to offer reinforcements during such attacks and others may even subvert others to further their cause (Note: THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LINE)
*AMISOM has no budget,provision or allowance for an air component and thus all air ops conducted in Somalia by KDF Air Forces are national operations independent of AMISOM ops (a very convenient roadblock for our frenemies).

Now to the el ade attack, and I feel it is important to point out at this point that all information given here is my personal deduction and opinion and not that of KDF or any government agency.
Shabab inserts recce units into the town a month ago. Their objectives: reconnoiter the area for routes and weakness in the camps perimeter defences and exert influence over the towns population to enlist them in their plans either willingly or under fear of retribution if necessary.
Soon they figure out that for effective raid to be carried out, all KDF heavy fire support present in the camp must be neutralised for their op to have any chance of success.
Plan is mooted to find away to divert the attention of the heavies while they launch an attack on the camp. Diversion has to be effective enough to guarantee that should the heavies find a way back it would be too late to matter.
Two weeks later, scheduled rotation takes place and Kamagut 9KR moves in to occupy. A company sized detachment is inserted into el ade together with armour elements from Gilgil. 
Meanwhile, Kebabs start streaming into the town in small groups of men and morph into the local civilian population. They preceding elements prevent the towns residents from moving out and alerting KDF recce of some fishy business going on.
The VBIEDs are slowly towed into the town mainly at night so as not to attract attention. In the daytime they are well hidden in pre scouted areas and camouflaged from sight.
Once in the town, kebabs are now at full strength, a detachment is given orders to attack nearby SNA camp and cause as much raucous as possible. The remainder of the unit will concentrate on KDF el ade.
At 4 am, 1st detachment launches raid on SNA camp. Now KDF units karibu hearing this have a reason to worry as 4 am is morning prayer time and for the SNA units that almost exclusively Muslim, 4 am is a time to squeeze out as much down time as possible.
Camp CO gives order for heavy units to rush n reinforce the camp n prevent a kebab take over. AMLs and a small detachment race to the rescue. Meanwhile camp goes on full alert and soldiers rush to their posts.
Once the big 90s are clear of the area, the firs of the VBIEDs is fired up and driven right to the barricades. The explosion takes out the outer sentries in their posts. As soldiers rush to seal the hole, the second one comes crashing through and takes out the reinforcement .. Third one in quick succession drives right to the centre of the camp and detonates taking out comms. The jahils now rush in in their hundreds taking advantage of the confusion and lack of command coordination (dead comms). 
The detached 90's hearing the explosion now turn back to reinforce their mother camp. Meanwhile with SNA high tailing the 1st detachment of kebabs now are free to rejoin the larger force. On the way back, the AMLs are ambushed by an other group that was waiting for them and with the 1st detachment catching up they are now caught between two walls of lead.
Word gets out to battalion hq of the attack and hq request CAS from army rotaries. The supporting CAS birds find heavy anti air artillery waiting for them and they are now reduced to taking shots of opportunity. Meanwhile the unit on the ground realising it can not manage to push kebabs back with most of their heavies incapacitated decides to pull back.
Support units now coming in from el awley find a road heavily littered with IEDs and sporadic ambushes. This slows them down to a painful pace all the while squeezing support from the beiges company in ade.

That's the short of it. I guess potbellied generals really are to blame eh?:roll:

Quite sad turn of events,the potbellied 4stars will just give UK some hogwash story and they'll continue to siphon the defense gravytrain.Kshs. 200BN annually from UN for Somalia mission and not to mention millions more from S.Sudan,DRC etc..and our AF is still in poor deplorable condition.....Baffs bn grounded,less than a handful of EMs.Morale must be at the boot level

Mkenya I take you don't speak sarcasm right? That last line was written in that language. 
This is the military it's not your school strike horde. When a nation goes to war its soldiers understand the responsibility placed on them and know that they may never get to return home. This isn't the stuff that lowers morale, it fucking fires it up!

*apologies in advance for the language.

Ole Sidai wrote:

My recommendations are as follows. 

• Stop meddling in Somali politics.
  
• Close the refugee camps and relocate them to the secured regions in Somalia. The international community will then be forced to tend to the Somali refugee and insecurity menace WITHIN SOMALIA.
  
• Improve your intelligence and secure the bloody border. Close it if you have to!
  

I have outlined these recommendations on this website for years on this website! Your pot bellied generals and corrupt politicians are way over their heads.

Brother Mekatilili. I have read your same "recommendations" before. Nothing against them but:

• Stop meddling in Somali politics.
  

The only reason KDF is in Somalia is to help dismantle terror cells that had absolute potential to destabilize Kenya. Like you said, terror gang members used to room freely along the porous border. I am a witness to that and not once or twice did I have live contacts with them inside our territory. They kill, loot and cross the border with no responsible government on the other side coordinate security.
If they can stop these incursions, recruiting our boys and exporting terror, then KDF will have no reason to be in Somalia. Did you forget where US Embassy bombing was organized from? Do you know how many police officers have lost their lives along that frontier since 1992? Do you remember Amuma patrol base invasions?

• Close the refugee camps and relocate them to the secured regions in Somalia. The international community will then be forced to tend to the Somali refugee and insecurity menace WITHIN SOMALIA.
  

Which secured regions are you talking about and which international community is willing to venture into that?

• Improve your intelligence and secure the bloody border. Close it if you have to!
  

How do you close Mandera to Kiunga border? Please give us an idea. Easier said than done. In 2001 I was lucky to tour US/Mexico border as part of overseas training. That was in 2001 and in 2016, still that US border is not fully secure! 

Sigh, I'll respond after the next national tragedy. 

I believe you read my post, but just refuse to entertain anything but the ridiculous display of your "military might" in Somalia. 

The quagmire that is nation building.

jasiri wrote:Quick facts:
*Kenya has the smallest continent for a major AMISOM power at 3 battalions 
*Kenya also has the largest area of responsibility from Kismayo all the way to Gedo region.
*AMISOM HQ is largely an ineffective office for press briefings and hardly does effective coordination because individual nations most times have individual objectives that haven't been reconciled to the common mission objective. Due to this, some nations may feel reluctant to offer reinforcements during such attacks and others may even subvert others to further their cause (Note: THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LINE)
*AMISOM has no budget,provision or allowance for an air component and thus all air ops conducted in Somalia by KDF Air Forces are national operations independent of AMISOM ops (a very convenient roadblock for our frenemies).

Now to the el ade attack, and I feel it is important to point out at this point that all information given here is my personal deduction and opinion and not that of KDF or any government agency.
Shabab inserts recce units into the town a month ago. Their objectives: reconnoiter the area for routes and weakness in the camps perimeter defences and exert influence over the towns population to enlist them in their plans either willingly or under fear of retribution if necessary.
Soon they figure out that for effective raid to be carried out, all KDF heavy fire support present in the camp must be neutralised for their op to have any chance of success.
Plan is mooted to find away to divert the attention of the heavies while they launch an attack on the camp. Diversion has to be effective enough to guarantee that should the heavies find a way back it would be too late to matter.
Two weeks later, scheduled rotation takes place and Kamagut 9KR moves in to occupy. A company sized detachment is inserted into el ade together with armour elements from Gilgil. 
Meanwhile, Kebabs start streaming into the town in small groups of men and morph into the local civilian population. They preceding elements prevent the towns residents from moving out and alerting KDF recce of some fishy business going on.
The VBIEDs are slowly towed into the town mainly at night so as not to attract attention. In the daytime they are well hidden in pre scouted areas and camouflaged from sight.
Once in the town, kebabs are now at full strength, a detachment is given orders to attack nearby SNA camp and cause as much raucous as possible. The remainder of the unit will concentrate on KDF el ade.
At 4 am, 1st detachment launches raid on SNA camp. Now KDF units karibu hearing this have a reason to worry as 4 am is morning prayer time and for the SNA units that almost exclusively Muslim, 4 am is a time to squeeze out as much down time as possible.
Camp CO gives order for heavy units to rush n reinforce the camp n prevent a kebab take over. AMLs and a small detachment race to the rescue. Meanwhile camp goes on full alert and soldiers rush to their posts.
Once the big 90s are clear of the area, the firs of the VBIEDs is fired up and driven right to the barricades. The explosion takes out the outer sentries in their posts. As soldiers rush to seal the hole, the second one comes crashing through and takes out the reinforcement .. Third one in quick succession drives right to the centre of the camp and detonates taking out comms. The jahils now rush in in their hundreds taking advantage of the confusion and lack of command coordination (dead comms). 
The detached 90's hearing the explosion now turn back to reinforce their mother camp. Meanwhile with SNA high tailing the 1st detachment of kebabs now are free to rejoin the larger force. On the way back, the AMLs are ambushed by an other group that was waiting for them and with the 1st detachment catching up they are now caught between two walls of lead.
Word gets out to battalion hq of the attack and hq request CAS from army rotaries. The supporting CAS birds find heavy anti air artillery waiting for them and they are now reduced to taking shots of opportunity. Meanwhile the unit on the ground realising it can not manage to push kebabs back with most of their heavies incapacitated decides to pull back.
Support units now coming in from el awley find a road heavily littered with IEDs and sporadic ambushes. This slows them down to a painful pace all the while squeezing support from the beiges company in ade.

That's the short of it. I guess potbellied generals really are to blame eh?:roll:

@Jasiri - The reports of a warning given to the KDF unit prior to the attack is disturbing. Not sure about the veracity of that claim. Somali General:KDF was warned  http://www.voanews.com/content/somali-general-kenyans-were-warned-of-al-shabab-attack/3151456.html. So sad anyway, RIP our fallen heroes.

What are possible variants for replacements of the AML's? Those things are out of date and shouldn't even be in theatre. They should be regaled for border patrol duties or training simulations. 

I was thinking the Lazar 1 would make a great replacement for the AML's and actually provide extra fire power in gunning down advancing infantry. Or the american Stryker...

This attack really hit close to the village. Next door neighbor's son was caught up in the attack but they waited 2 days anxiously waiting for news which was a tough. RIP to our brave soldiers. Really rough choices wait ahead for CiC to try and ensure this doesn't happen again.

Hi all, long time no see. It’s sad to see and read about what happened to those Brave Men, may their souls rest in eternal peace.

I have being doing a lot of reading regarding this matter and it’s obvious that the troops did what was asked of them but the force which they were against combined with the Kebabs tactics made it hard for the Men to come out on top.

If this was to happen in Iraq or Afghanistan an American company would not have fared any better in the absence of CAS. No one comes out well when hit with a cocktail of diversionary attacks and the infamous ‘Pinning the enemy’ tactic.

If we were to point fingers, I think the blame would fall on;

AMISOM: It’s obvious that air assets are required in this theater you don’t need to be a genius to figure that out. If you look at the Iraq and Syrian situation it will be clear to you that government forces in both Syria and Iraq are able to push ISIS because of the air support provided by the West and Russia without air support government forces cannot overpower the enemy, without the risk of ISIS inflicting heavy causalities in their ranks. Heavy casualties have a negative effect on troop morale and results in 300 ISIS men routing 30,000 (or whatever the number was) Iraq solders in Ramadi.


Our Intelligence: I feel bad pointing a finger at our Men and Women in the intelligence community because it’s hard to collect and verify intelligence but it’s important that you know what the enemy is thinking of doing before the enemy knows what they want to do. It might sound like cliché but Israel has perfected the art of gathering intel, verifying it and acting on it, sometimes the intel is not accurate and you end up wasting resources or worse detaining innocent people but aggressive intel gathering ensures that you avoid being surprised by the enemy 99.9% of the time and you also save lives.

‘Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move’ – Tsung Su

Military PR: War is a means to an end. When an army engages in war it’s important that you use all available means to win the war including good PR especially when you are fighting an irregular force like the Kebabs who can easily melt into the population. 

Good PR will ensure that you have prior information form the population when the Kebabs are mobilizing and using the civilian population to insert their forces into the theater. How do you create good PR?

1. ‘Elect’ a popular leader in the community and use him to keep the community in check. This tactic was used by the boars in South Africa and by the British in their colonize and it worked.
   
2. Provide social amenities for example water, hospitals, schools, etc. The aim is to create a feeling within the community that they can’t do without you and encourage them to notify you when your existence is threatened. The reason Portuguese is the national language in Brazil and not Spanish is because the Spanish choice war with the natives but the Portuguese rewarded the locals with mirrors and other shinny things.
   

I am no expert but if we can focus on ‘colonizing’ the minds of the population (we are an occupying force after all), work harder on intel gathering and also incorporate what other nations are learning as they combat irregular forces then we will be better prepared when the Kebabs think of hitting as again.

‘Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.’ - Tsung Su

Wow, that was a real punch below the belt! AU/UN should wake up and fund important assets to finish this job. Since joining AMISOM, KDF has regrettably lost momentum leading to this massive loss. How on earth could AMISOM assume resources captured from Burundi would not be used against them? They now even have more though this will be very short lived. REMEMBER: Friendly assets falling into the enemy, are enemy assets......until recaptured or destroyed.
We should appreciate what Tactical commanders are doing on the ground. It is their blood that is keeping us safe from further carnage at the war front and at home. 
BUT, I would love to see real pressure on these kebabs wherever they are. Deny them any time to regroup and plan even if it means KDF going it alone. It is time KDF serve their theater interests.
@Jasiri....thank you and keep it up. @Metak.....peace bro. Those generals you call fat use their brains to direct policy and war. Mark you, they all pass standard annual mil fitness test.

Irresponsible reporting should be curbed or some editors should do jail if that is what it will take to pump sense into them. The Standard newspaper has done an awful thing to have the story "Mystery of Missing KDF Commander"  http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000188705/mystery-of-missing-kdf-commander/

This SmartBird idea looks great. https://www.facebook.com/GiridharTalla/videos/1668773730065611/

cylon wrote:What are possible variants for replacements of the AML's? Those things are out of date and shouldn't even be in theatre. They should be regaled for border patrol duties or training simulations. 

I was thinking the Lazar 1 would make a great replacement for the AML's and actually provide extra fire power in gunning down advancing infantry. Or the american Stryker...

This attack really hit close to the village. Next door neighbor's son was caught up in the attack but they waited 2 days anxiously waiting for news which was a tough. RIP to our brave soldiers. Really rough choices wait ahead for CiC to try and ensure this doesn't happen again.

Apparently we've have it on order since 2012 but have not heard of it in theatre.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28756&Itemid=105

My condolences to the families and units affected as well as to the greater KDF fraternity. These are our brothers, our fathers, our friends in harm's way, and their sacrifices should be recognised, not just when they are gone but when they are alive to hear it from us. 
Questions that beg asking; how could AMISOM allow captured assets to remain in AS hands?
Was there no cause for concern about the change in the enemy's capability now that they had similar equipment?
No forward planning/ war gaming with these kinds of scenarios in mind, factoring in the developments in theatre?
Does the "moratorium" on air ops extend to UAV opeations and ISTAR?

Going by the photo released by AS media the explosion looks massive...this was a nasty blow... But it also shows the lengths AS had to go, and will go to get through. In my view priority on capacity for quick insertion of a rapid reaction force is critical, we need enough rotor capability to insert COY size troops at short notice anywhere within the E.A threat radius, either increase numbers of Mi 17 or get other heavy lift rotors for such task, a COY size  QRF within the first two hours of the attack, and maybe even  two by midday would assisted in regrouping the attack and qucik search and rescue, perhaps even turn the fight around... I'm sure lessons hav been learned.

I've just seen the photos and it gets my blood boiling in rage. The conditions of that camp was not up to par it possibly wasn't equipped to handle such an attack. And i do hope the KDF responds in kind and posts photos and video of them bombing/hunting down those dead fuckers. excuse my language.


Secondly its time the KDF woke up and started building a new massive Forward Operating Base in Somalia away from Kismayo. Somewhere centrally located in sector 2 where its air assets can quickly reach an active zone if less than an hour. The new FOB would be the nerve center of all KDF's missions in Somalia and it would also need an increased surge of about 2-3 thousand more troops to help sustain the fight against Alshabab. Who looked like they have regrouped with new sources of funding and now in possession of a large cache of KDF weapons.

cylon wrote:I've just seen the photos and it gets my blood boiling in rage. The conditions of that camp was not up to par it possibly wasn't equipped to handle such an attack. And i do hope the KDF responds in kind and posts photos and video of them bombing/hunting down those dead fuckers. excuse my language.


Secondly its time the KDF woke up and started building a new massive Forward Operating Base in Somalia away from Kismayo. Somewhere centrally located in sector 2 where its air assets can quickly reach an active zone if less than an hour. The new FOB would be the nerve center of all KDF's missions in Somalia and it would also need an increased surge of about 2-3 thousand more troops to help sustain the fight against Alshabab. Who looked like they have regrouped with new sources of funding and now in possession of a large cache of KDF weapons.

Those KDF assets don't gonna be with them for long.....already there are alot of activities going on. Wish someone could update us about the achievements of 1/19 afternoon and 1/20 morning. Hii ni mwanzo...

Seriously,you're not helping and your tone and opinions are reducing this place to nipate. Firstly,imo,some of you are missing the point. The  year long invasion and slog through to Kismayo took some 65 or so KDF KIA.
On Friday we lost that many. War fighting is an inherently dangerous occupation! You can have all your assets in place and the proper will but the enemy is also adapting. There is also a very real Western element I haven't fully confirmed but I will say they were def not happy with our success where they'd failed.

Condelenses to all the bereived families. The blood  of our soldiers has not been spilt in vain. Now i notice that the al shaitan brutes come back and shoot the dead to mock up gory pictures. They are trully deprived. When the time comes let them meet brutal wrath. This is not time for critic folks. War is unpredictable! A proper military analysis would probably reveal to us that our patriots did everything possible to stand their ground.

cylon wrote:I've just seen the photos and it gets my blood boiling in rage.

Observer wrote:Going by the photo released by AS media 

The original source of these images appears to have been Radio Andalus online besides their normal broadcasting, also earlier noted for their audio of the claimed captives. The images were then replicated onto social media and are being picked up and reposted in some cases by non AS (IS/AQ etc) participants. 

At a point in time there was a KDF social media strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ5TP66-CCo which perhaps got shelved with the change to the AU. While AS have not succeeded much in this effort, they have still managed to disseminate information and continue to do so with their circles and extended circle. The dissemination serves several purposes for them including recruitment.

#KOT, #IStandWithKDF and other related hashtags are a powerful means through which some of the AS postings can be taken down. KOT almost always prevail in twitter wars http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/someonetellcnn-kenyans-ridicule-us-network-on-twitter-for-hotbed-of-terror-report-10410337.html in a show of their patriotism. Either way, here are ways in which to report such posts such as: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDRsXCGWgAASsx-.jpg or https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIvxqnLWcAMtXUW.png The more the reports the sooner they are shutdown before they have a chance to disseminated it widely.

One need only make a KE themed approach to silence one of the few remaining outlets for AS. The AS radio website should have been offline a long time ago in the virtual and real world before they released the images and audio. Hopefully someone sees the sense in that the battle also needs to be fought outside the theatre on other platforms and arena.

In this maneno, I would like to urge God speed to our armed forces.
It's true we got cocky and believed in our invincibility in Somalia, in that we as a nation believed the enemy was not adapting. great failure on the part of Amisom and maybe K.A. 
for those urging for our withdrawal, i strongly disagree, the Ugandans haven't run, the Burundians haven't run, why should we?
its at the moment of greatest test that the strength is really brought out. Its regrettable that our brothers had to die, I believe its the time for us to look inwards and see where the rain started beating us and squeeze the pus out of the wound. 
We have been tested, we must stand up and show them that 'WE ARE KENYANS' and 'OUR FLAG IS STRONGER THAN DEATH'

good morning gentlemen the bombing at el Adde was not done on the said KDF base at that region. they is no way on this motherF*ck  militia or any mature armed force in the region can  over run a KDF base. this was a Company size detachment that was from EL adde base moving  on to establish ground for the sake of establishing an FOB. they had just arrived at the region. all in allthe AS had upped they game . more to be posted soon

Risasi wrote:good morning gentlemen the bombing at el Adde was not done on the said KDF base at that region. they is no way on this motherF*ck  militia or any mature armed force in the region can  over run a KDF base. this was a Company size detachment that was from EL adde base moving  on to establish ground for the sake of establishing an FOB. they had just arrived at the region. all in allthe AS had upped they game . more to be posted soon

Thanks @bulletman,hope to hear more from you. Funny enough I was watching some real life documentary on ramadi and how combat outposts had to be established despite all the chaos in the city(live to tell,history channel on youtube), helped understand what the KDF were up to in gedo region.
Today I was thinking about when the KDF expeditioned themselves intobsomalia,col. Oguna and Maj. Chirchir gave updates via social media, I remember Maj. Chirchir taunting the hyenas to visit KDF and be taught a lesson..when Col. Obonyo took over, media handling and communication went sub-zero,so that this days all the hashtags on social media supporting KDF are due to the past comms team. Why doesnt the current Col. read from Oguna's book and reinvigorate kenyans, I believe Eladde would have been less sleep depriving for most if the previous team were in place as opposed to the current situation. Plus,I know @ON would be mad,but show enemy camps receive a dose of bombs and all as russia is doing in syria, I believe it helps alot especially sleep-deprived ppl like me right now.
I remember some talk back then on vickers pulling a swansong before retirement, can they see some action in base defence in theatre before retirement?

Risasi wrote:good morning gentlemen the bombing at el Adde was not done on the said KDF base at that region. they is no way on this motherF*ck  militia or any mature armed force in the region can  over run a KDF base. this was a Company size detachment that was from EL adde base moving  on to establish ground for the sake of establishing an FOB. they had just arrived at the region. all in allthe AS had upped they game . more to be posted soon

@Risasi, Amison needs to include your eyes and swords into their budget. They also need to increase SFG with their full assets. This nonsense of cutting off key assets is making our troops vulnerable. These assets are there to protect our interest. 
NOTE: Any friendly asset captured by enemy is perceived to be enemy asset unless returned home!

MWAURA wrote:There is also a very real Western element I haven't fully confirmed but I will say they were def not happy with our success where they'd failed.

On that note, one wonders why some western analysts (or those masquerading as such) spend a lot of time and effort writing about AMISOM/KE in a manner short on any credit when its due, but are quick to pile on criticism bordering on the negative. 

Seldom do they highlight any successes, if ever, but name a setback and they will be all over it in a frenzy. Some are objective employing fair analysis, some are not, below are some of their writings on the recent incident (no endorsement). Some may offer useful feedback others absolutely none. 

Inevitably the writings of these individuals are the dominant voices heard outside the continent, such opinions are often rehashed as fact and make their way to influential think tanks and make it as headlines in key media such as the NY Times or the Washington Post without a single right of reply or comment being exercised by those they write about.

https://twitter.com/NominalAnalyst -- this almost borders on something 'personal'
http://strategicintelligencefiles.blogspot.co.il (different from the other SI)

https://twitter.com/PDWilliamsGWU - fair and objective - http://wpo.st/F5l51 - did well to highlight the undelivered 12 helicopters to AMISOM that were authorised by the UNSC

https://twitter.com/NominalFox http://wp.me/p6OczF-d 

On matters of protocol, shouldn't the CDFs gatekeepers and handlers control such matters where someone can purport to ask the CDF such a question https://twitter.com/MargotKiser1/status/685784293776429057 only later for the same individual to post information on purported audio from a report on AS next to the image taken as their profile photo. It surely cannot be good for the optics.

Are those who are let in as foreign reporters and correspondents truly vetted before visas are issued leaving them to have free reign to roam the country including possibly trips into the theatre to meet combatants? More so those purported to be working for AJ. If in doubt, see this report http://aje.io/lff5 

To understand the role of most journalist‑operatives, it is necessary to dismiss some myths about undercover work for American intelligence services. Few American agents are “spies” in the popularly accepted sense of the term. “Spying” — the acquisition of secrets from a foreign government—is almost always done by foreign nationals who have been recruited by the CIA and are under CIA control in their own countries. Thus the primary role of an American working undercover abroad is often to aid in the recruitment and “handling” of foreign nationals who are channels of secret information reaching American intelligence. http://www.carlbernstein.com/magazine_cia_and_media.php

While some might be “friends” in the national interest, what about other state actors who are not and manage to get in as "journalists". How does one explain apparent exclusives in foreign media from foreign media citing unnamed officials that emerge while matters are not public and are still in a fog  http://nyti.ms/1OwF7W0 Are these "officials" still on the job?

jasiri wrote:Due to this, some nations may feel reluctant to offer reinforcements during such attacks and others may even subvert others to further their cause (Note: THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LINE)

No endorsement of the below, but one can read it objectively:
http://www.zehabesha.com/the-secret-relationship-between-ethiopia-and-alshabaab

An interesting read considering the flight's origin: The Unknown Plane Crash http://wp.me/p11THm-1Kc

In other news @2:33

for what its worth ...considering the source....
http://intelligencebriefs.com/kenya-defence-forces-kdf-warplanes-bombardments-annihilate-al-shabaab-targets-in-diinsor-baay-region/

obienga wrote:In other news @2:33

that is good long overdue news

KDF going forward to 2016/2017 is need for modernization. 

The Army should replace the AML's and WZ551's(sell them to Amisom) with the Serbian Lazar 2. Unit price is about 600 thousand which is a great price and we already bought the Nora B52 from Serbia and they make really great equipment. In the future we should be able to locally build these systems.





Next on the list for the KDF would be to purchase new helicopter gunships since the MD500's lack several technological features thus limiting their use in the battlefield. The entire MD500 fleet should be sold off to Amisom. Their replacement would either be the Russian KA-52 or the Chinese Harbin Z-19 or the Polish W-3PL Głuszec.




New fighter jet acquisitions should start happening by 2020. The KAF should at this time nicely ask for the flying Eagles or flying 16's. But by this time many suitors will be clamoring at the KAF to buy their goods.