By Jason Straziuso - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jun 12, 2012 9:00:31 EDT
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NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya is seeking U.S. and European assistance to aid in its
planned attack on a militant port town in southern Somalia, Kenya's prime
minister said Tuesday.
Raila Odinga said that Kenyan forces are preparing for a "final onslaught"
on the Somali port town of Kismayo by August, when the U.N. mandate of
Somalia's transitional government expires. Kismayo is controlled by
al-Shabab militants who get a significant portion of their operating
expenses by levying "taxes" on the port.
Kenyan forces moved into Somalia last October and have been slowly moving
toward Kismayo.
"Without controlling Kismayo, it's very difficult to completely neutralize
al-Shabab," Odinga told a gathering of foreign correspondents. "It has taken
time because our forces felt that to move in otherwise would have cost a lot
of lives, both civilian and military."
Odinga said Kenya has asked the U.S. for financial assistance in the
operation. He said the U.S. has previously "resisted" providing funds until
Kenyan forces formally joined the African Union force known as AMISOM. The
formal transfer of Kenyan forces to AMISOM command happened earlier this
month.
"I will talk to the U.S. representative this week and they have said they
are going to make more funds available for this exercise," Odinga said,
adding later: "If they can also bring military assistance so much the
better, but for now we are talking about financial assistance."
A U.S. Embassy spokesman said he couldn't immediately comment but would seek
more information.
Odinga said Kenya is also asking the European Union Naval Force for help,
but that the force is "reluctant." The EU Naval Force recently expanded its
mandate to include military attacks on pirate havens on Somali land.
However, Kismayo is an al-Shabab stronghold and not a pirate stronghold.
Kenyan troops entered Somalia after a rash of militant attacks on Kenyan
soil, including the kidnappings of several foreigners. Hundreds of thousands
of Somalis have fled violence and famine in Somalia and now live in Kenya.
More than 600,000 Somali refugees live in the Dadaab refugee camp, and
Odinga said Kenya hosts 1 million Somali refugees overall.
Odinga said that by constructing roads, schools, housing and health centers
in areas of Somalia that have been freed from al-Shabab, the flow of
refugees will slow and that some refugees will voluntarily return to
Somalia.
"We can create an environment in Somalia that will facilitate the voluntary
return of Somalis to Somalia," he said. "The international community needs
to help us."
