More Kenyan soldiers attacked in Somalia arrive at Wilson Airport

The Friday attack by Al-Shabaab was one of the most daring and devastating incidents since the troops’ presence in Somalia.

“This is a very sombre moment for the Kenya Defence Forces – and I think for the country at large”, Omamo said, calling for “patience” as efforts to rescue remaining troops continued. A Kenyan official said on Sunday the army would issue a statement without saying when.

Al Shabaab attacked an African Union base on Friday killing dozens of soldiers and capturing others who are reportedly being used as human shields.

Al-Shabab spokesman Abdiaziz Abu Mudan said on the group’s online radio that at least 63 soldiers were killed in the attack.

Four wounded soldiers were airlifted back home on Sunday for specialised treatment.

Omamo said the government has established support facilities for the families of the fallen soldiers and those who were injured at the KDF barracks in Eldoret, Gilgil and Nairobi.

“They launched an offensive on a military base at El-Adde and there was heavy fighting which caused casualties”, Somali army colonel Idris Ahmed said, adding a Shebab suicide commando blasted a way into the base in the far southwestern Gedo region, which borders Kenya and Ethiopia.

A Kenyan man has been charged for publishing pictures alleged to be of Kenyan soldiers killed last week by Islamic extremist rebels in Somalia.

“Our priority now is to make sure that we conduct the search, rescue and recovery for the ones who are not in the camp but are elsewhere”.

The militants frequently exaggerate the number of troops they kill, while AMISOM and the countries that contribute troops to the force rarely give reliable tolls.

Al-Shabab said in a statement its Friday attack on the Somali base “sends a clear message to the Kenyan government that their military’s invasion of our Muslim lands and the massacre of innocent Muslims perpetrated by the Kenyan crusaders will not be without severe consequences”, Reuters reported Friday. The group has also carried out many deadly attacks inside Kenya.