Somaliland Sun – As the Kenyan government keep mum over the number of troops killed in Friday’s Al Shabab ambush, Kenyans on social media are now challenging their government to explain its stay in Somalia following reports that over 63 members of the Kenyan Defense forces were killed who were part of the African union peacekeeping forces.
Some Kenyans on Twitter have criticised the state for only honouring soldiers after they die and said a strategy for them to withdraw from Somalia should be laid out while using the hashtag #63IsNotJustANumber
They now want Kenya to withdraw its troops from Somalia.
“Bring back our daughters,” proclaimed James Habwe while tagging the post to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Disembe @Disembe said, “If you are just mourning these fallen soldiers but not asking how this was even possible you are part of the problem #63IsNotJustANumber”
Uhuru said the attack on Kenyan soldiers will not bring to an end the mission for peace and stability in Somalia.
“I take this opportunity to express mine and the country’s deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of the fallen. I stand with you,” he said in a statement.
Somali and Kenyan military officials said the fighters had seized the Somali army base near the town of Ceel Cadde, about 550 km (340 miles) west of Mogadishu in a region near Kenya’s border.
The spokesman for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said al Shabaab fighters overran the Somali army base and Amisom had counter-attacked.
“The number of casualties on both sides is unknown,” Colonel David Obonyo, KDF spokesman, said in a statement on Friday.
