Kenyan soldiers kill 3 Al-Shabaab militants in coastal region

Kenyan soldiers on Wednesday killed three Al-Shabaab militants and recovered two firearms and 17 rounds of ammunitions in an ambush in the country's coastal region.

Kenya Defence Force (KDF) spokesman David Obonyo said the attack occurred when a KDF vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Basuba in Lamu County.

"The ambush occurred when the troops were on route patrol duties. During the attack, the troops repulsed the Al-Shabaab militia killing three of them while others escaped with multiple bullet wounds," Obonyo said.

"Five KDF soldiers were injured, two of them seriously and are receiving medical attention," he said, adding that manhunt has launched for those escaped militants.

The ministry of defense has strongly condemned the attack, and appealed to the local residents to continue cooperating with security forces in the ongoing operation in a bid to secure the area from the insurgents.

The attack comes as KDF, together with AU forces, has intensified bombardment in Al-Shabaab's strongholds in southern Somalia where more than 80 militants have been killed in the airstrikes and weaponry recovered in the last two weeks.

The troops have been able to liberate key strategic towns of Bardhere and Dinsoor in Gedo region that were under the control of Al-Shabaab. Endit