A lone gunman attacked a military base in Somalia on Monday, killing at least three Kenyan peacekeepers. This attack was carried out by militants who oppose foreigners living in the Horn of Africa country.
Before being shot dead, the gunman wounded five additional soldiers with his indiscriminate rifle fire, according to a Kenyan military official who asked to remain anonymous because he was not yet authorised to speak about the incident.
The attack on Monday morning happened at the Sarira Forward Operating Base in the southern Somalian district of Lower Jubba, close to the Kenyan border. Through its media, Al-Shabab acknowledged responsibility for the attack.
“We believe the lone wolf was testing the ground for more such incidents. We must be more careful and vigilant,” said the Kenyan military official. “As we near the festivities, we need to be very vigilant of our surroundings. The terror threat is still rife and all measures should be taken to tame any plan.”
The opening of the soccer World Cup in Qatar has prompted the Kenyan government to call for increased caution. When al-Shabab attacked a rugby club and a restaurant in the Ugandan capital of Kampala in 2010, where patrons were watching the World Cup final on enormous screens, at least 76 people were killed.
“It is at this time the militants know we might let our guard down as we watch” the World Cup, the official said.
Kenyan troops, stationed in Somalia under the aegis of the African Union, are present along the country’s border with that country. Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers are stationed in or close to Mogadishu, the federal government’s seat and the capital of Somalia.
Al-Shabab fighters have recently crossed international borders to carry out attacks, particularly in the rural Kenyan counties of Mandera and Garissa.
Numerous civilians and security officers have been killed or injured as a result of the attacks. Gunmen thought to be affiliated with al-Shabab stormed a Mandera police station on Sunday before being beaten back.