By Dr Paul Bundi Human beings are endowed with remarkable resilience, which can only be broken when they choose to give up. Says Viktor Frankl in his seminal book, Man's Search for Meaning; ''it is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future-sub specie aeternitatis. And this is his salvation in thd most difficult moments of his existence, although he sometimes has to force his mind to the task.'' Man's life is primarily driven by the desire for future, the unshakable belief that the future holds promise. We invariably cease to live when we think we have hit a dead end, or that there's nothing more to be had by living. Theoretically, there is no limit to man's achievement, and that is what drives men to wake up and strive day after day. The opposite is spiritual, psychological death, which manifests way ahead of physical death. Lesson? Losing today doesn't mean losing always. You can lose 10 times and win the 11th time. Or, you
Amisom was incapable of assisting Kenya after al Shabaab raided an African Union base in El Adde, Somalia, last Friday, General Samson Mwathethe has said.
The Chief of Defence of Forces said the lack of resources forced the Kenyan military to mobilise its own logistics from Nairobi in responding to the ambush by al Shabaab.
Somali and Kenyan military officials said
al Shabaab fighters seized the base near the town of Ceel Cadde, about 550 km (340 miles) west of Mogadishu in a region near Kenya's border.
Mwathethe said they used vehicle-borne IEDs, which he noted have an impact as high as devices used in the August 7, 1998 attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi, that left more than 200 dead.
The al Shabaab ambush explained
1. A vehicle fitted with an improvised explosive (VBID) device arrives from the Somalia National Army side at about 4am and blows up
2. Another vehicle arrives with about 15 suicide bombers who alight and head to the Kenyan camp where they blow themselves up
3. Second VBID arrives and blows up. It is followed by two other vehicles with at least 15 suicide bombers, who shoot at KDF soldiers before blowing themselves up
4. A third vehicle arrives with 70 to 100 al Shabaab fighters who attack Kenyan soldiers as others pick bodies and the injured and load them onto their cars
5. More than 100 other al Shabaab militants arrive on foot and steal from the KDF camp.
6. At about 2pm, al Shabaab fighters move to surrounding areas in search of surviving KDF soldiers
KDF learns of attack, responds after delay
Mwathethe told a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday that the KDF in Nairobi received a report of the attack at 6.30am
1. The Kenyan army dispatches two helicopters and reroutes a plane heading to Kismayu to confirm the report
2. Surveillance plane spots two anti-aircraft missiles and advise against airstrikes
3. Ground troops are sent to the camp but they had to cover a 100kms. Upon arrival, they find improvised explosive devices on roads
"Al Shabaab had planted such explosives in three vehicles which were on the road," he said, adding the militants were also using rocket-propelled grenades to prevent air operations.
Mwathethe said the anti-air operations devices made it difficult for the military to fly forces for reinforcement as they were being used around the camp.
The Chief of Defence Forces said retaliation by Kenyan troops had to be delayed until the militants moved away, but that initial combat was eventually initiated and lasted about 10 hours.
"We had to mobilise forces from Garissa, Mandera, Elwak and Wajir to come and help our soldiers. Ground troops commenced advances from Damasa to El Adde though with resistance," he said.
He said some militants were cornered while leaving the camp in trucks, adding it is believed al Shabaab leader of Abu Zubeir company, Maalim Janawi, who masterminded the attack was killed.
The enemy was kept under surveillance for the next 24 hours, he said, adding some soldiers who had escaped to locations nearer the border were rescued.
Day 2: Forces move from Damasa to El Adde with resistance from terrorists. They hit militants' camp in El Gadud, 30km East of El Adde, finding weaponry taken during attack.
The Kenyan arm officially embarks on a search, rescue and recovery operation that sees injured soldiers and several bodies airlifted to Nairobi. Three days later, they take control of El Adde camp.
Number of casualties still unknown
Neither Amisom nor the army has released the official number of those killed and injured but al Shabaab said it killed 63, later raising the number to 100.
Mwathethe said: "Given the magnitude of the attack, the information needs to be accurate. This may take long... I ask you to be patient and to support their families."
"We will be able to give Kenyans answers to questions they have been asking," the Chief of Defence Forces said, noting: "I am not aware of prisoners of war as alleged by some local dailies."
In a statement on Sunday, he had said that reports suggested some soldiers were being used as human shields.
An MOU between the African Union and Amisom states that families of killed soldiers are entitled to $50,000 (Sh5 million) compensation. The European Union donates the money to the AU through its African Peace Facility. As such, slain Amisom soldiers must be recognised.
The attack on Kenyan troops follows two against Burundi and Uganda, whose soldiers are also fighting under Amisom to restore peace and stability in Somalia.
At least 50 Burundian soldiers were killed at a base in Lego in June 2015 while 12 Ugandan fighters were killed in September that year.
The way forward
Mwathethe said the KDF's search, rescue and operation was ongoing and that it is expected it will be concluded on Thursday.
He said the Kenyan army formed a board of inquiry into the attack, which he said will carry out investigations on the number of soldiers who were killed.
The Chief of Defence Forces said the probe will also help in the positive identification of bodies, adding some must go through DNA tests.
Regarding reports that KDF commanders had actionable intelligence on the impending attack on the base, he said the intelligence was not specific and that those with information to the contrary should share it.
Source The Star
The Chief of Defence of Forces said the lack of resources forced the Kenyan military to mobilise its own logistics from Nairobi in responding to the ambush by al Shabaab.
Somali and Kenyan military officials said
al Shabaab fighters seized the base near the town of Ceel Cadde, about 550 km (340 miles) west of Mogadishu in a region near Kenya's border.
Mwathethe said they used vehicle-borne IEDs, which he noted have an impact as high as devices used in the August 7, 1998 attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi, that left more than 200 dead.
The al Shabaab ambush explained
1. A vehicle fitted with an improvised explosive (VBID) device arrives from the Somalia National Army side at about 4am and blows up
2. Another vehicle arrives with about 15 suicide bombers who alight and head to the Kenyan camp where they blow themselves up
3. Second VBID arrives and blows up. It is followed by two other vehicles with at least 15 suicide bombers, who shoot at KDF soldiers before blowing themselves up
4. A third vehicle arrives with 70 to 100 al Shabaab fighters who attack Kenyan soldiers as others pick bodies and the injured and load them onto their cars
5. More than 100 other al Shabaab militants arrive on foot and steal from the KDF camp.
6. At about 2pm, al Shabaab fighters move to surrounding areas in search of surviving KDF soldiers
KDF learns of attack, responds after delay
Mwathethe told a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday that the KDF in Nairobi received a report of the attack at 6.30am
1. The Kenyan army dispatches two helicopters and reroutes a plane heading to Kismayu to confirm the report
2. Surveillance plane spots two anti-aircraft missiles and advise against airstrikes
3. Ground troops are sent to the camp but they had to cover a 100kms. Upon arrival, they find improvised explosive devices on roads
"Al Shabaab had planted such explosives in three vehicles which were on the road," he said, adding the militants were also using rocket-propelled grenades to prevent air operations.
Mwathethe said the anti-air operations devices made it difficult for the military to fly forces for reinforcement as they were being used around the camp.
The Chief of Defence Forces said retaliation by Kenyan troops had to be delayed until the militants moved away, but that initial combat was eventually initiated and lasted about 10 hours.
"We had to mobilise forces from Garissa, Mandera, Elwak and Wajir to come and help our soldiers. Ground troops commenced advances from Damasa to El Adde though with resistance," he said.
He said some militants were cornered while leaving the camp in trucks, adding it is believed al Shabaab leader of Abu Zubeir company, Maalim Janawi, who masterminded the attack was killed.
The enemy was kept under surveillance for the next 24 hours, he said, adding some soldiers who had escaped to locations nearer the border were rescued.
Day 2: Forces move from Damasa to El Adde with resistance from terrorists. They hit militants' camp in El Gadud, 30km East of El Adde, finding weaponry taken during attack.
The Kenyan arm officially embarks on a search, rescue and recovery operation that sees injured soldiers and several bodies airlifted to Nairobi. Three days later, they take control of El Adde camp.
Number of casualties still unknown
Neither Amisom nor the army has released the official number of those killed and injured but al Shabaab said it killed 63, later raising the number to 100.
Mwathethe said: "Given the magnitude of the attack, the information needs to be accurate. This may take long... I ask you to be patient and to support their families."
"We will be able to give Kenyans answers to questions they have been asking," the Chief of Defence Forces said, noting: "I am not aware of prisoners of war as alleged by some local dailies."
In a statement on Sunday, he had said that reports suggested some soldiers were being used as human shields.
An MOU between the African Union and Amisom states that families of killed soldiers are entitled to $50,000 (Sh5 million) compensation. The European Union donates the money to the AU through its African Peace Facility. As such, slain Amisom soldiers must be recognised.
The attack on Kenyan troops follows two against Burundi and Uganda, whose soldiers are also fighting under Amisom to restore peace and stability in Somalia.
At least 50 Burundian soldiers were killed at a base in Lego in June 2015 while 12 Ugandan fighters were killed in September that year.
The way forward
Mwathethe said the KDF's search, rescue and operation was ongoing and that it is expected it will be concluded on Thursday.
He said the Kenyan army formed a board of inquiry into the attack, which he said will carry out investigations on the number of soldiers who were killed.
The Chief of Defence Forces said the probe will also help in the positive identification of bodies, adding some must go through DNA tests.
Regarding reports that KDF commanders had actionable intelligence on the impending attack on the base, he said the intelligence was not specific and that those with information to the contrary should share it.
Source The Star
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