KENYA – Kenya is not delaying its response to an al-Shabab attack that left 148 people dead at Garissa University as it launched two air strikes aimed at al-Shabab targets in Somalia, authorities said.
The Kenyan warplanes dropped bombs at two camps in the Gedo region, a military spokesman said. The region has been used by al-Shabab militants as passage to Kenya from Somali.
Kenya’s military spokesman Col. David Obonyo, however, clarified that the airstrikes were part of continuing operations against al-Shabab an dnot just in response to the deadly Garissa attack.
Al-Shabab has killed more than 400 people in Kenya since April 2013 and the Garissa attack only added fuel to Kenya’s intent to go after the militant group.
Shortly after the Garissa attack, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to go after the al-Shabab using harshest measures.
Kenya had launched airstrikes in Somalia in the past but the bombings did not deter the militant group from moving to Kenya from Somalia to sow terror.
The international community has strongly condemned the brutal attack by militant group al-Shabab in Garissa University College in Kenya, on April 2, killing at least 147 people.
Most of those killed were Christian students who were sleeping at the university dorms when the attacked occurred, authorities said.
The United States has offered assistance in the fight against al-Shabab while other world leaders said they will assist in going after the terror group.
Authorities said they have taken Garissa University College under control following the deadly attack. Four of the armed attackers were killed.
Kenya immediately implemented a national curfew following the deadly siege.
Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group based in southern Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Our Mujahideen [militant] brothers today managed to carry out a successful operation in Garissa town,” said Sheikh Abdiasis abu Musab, a spokesman for al-Shabaab.
Musab said the militant group was still control of the university.
In a statement, Musab said the attack was in response to Kenya’s military presence in Somalia.
“We told the Kenyans to withdraw their army from Somalia,” the al-Shabaab spokesman said. “They did not want to listen us, so this is our message to them.”
Al-Shabaab has been designated as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. As of June 2012, the US State Department has open bounties on several of the group’s senior commanders. – BusinessNewsAsia.com