Battle of Kulbiyow

Last updated
Battle of Kulbiyow
Part of the War in Somalia
Kulbiyow battle.jpg
An Al-Shabaab fighter inside the Kulbiyow military base following the battle.
Date27 January 2017
Location
Kulbiyow, Somalia–Kenya border [1]
Result Major Al-Shabaab victory [2]
Belligerents
AQMI Flag asymmetric.svg Al-Shabaab

AMISOM

Flag of Somalia.svg Federal Government of Somalia
Commanders and leaders
Unknown Flag of Kenya.svg Maj. Denis Girenge (WIA) [3]
(Company OC)
Flag of Kenya.svg Maj. Mwangi  † [4]
(Artillery Battery Commander)
Flag of Kenya.svg Capt. Silas Ekidor  † [4]
(Infantry Second Officer in Charge)
Flag of Somalia.svg Capt. Nur Muhidin [5]
(Somali commander)
Units involved
Saleh al Nabhan Battalion [6]

Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya Army

Flag of Somalia.svg Somali Armed Forces
Strength

150–Hundreds [7] [lower-alpha 1]

250 [3]

  • Flag of Kenya.svg 120 [5]
  • Flag of Somalia.svg Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown [lower-alpha 2] Flag of Kenya.svg 40–67+ [lower-alpha 3] KDF soldiers killed, several captured [6]
Flag of Somalia.svg Several killed [5]

The Battle of Kulbiyow took place on 27 January 2017, when al-Shabaab militants attacked and took control of the military base and town of Kulbiyow, held by the Somali Armed Forces and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Contents

Background

Kulbiyow was an important military base directly at the Somalia–Kenya border, and was operated as part of the African Union Mission to Somalia's (AMISOM) Sector 2 [1] which was entrusted to the Kenya Defence Forces. Al-Shabaab began operating around Kulbiyow in November 2016; Somali media alleged that the Kenyan security forces were warned that the insurgents were planning a major attack in the area. Al-Shabaab's internal security force Amniyat later claimed that about 150 rebels gathered near Hulugho in preparation for this operation. [8]

On 25 January 2017, the Kenyan troops from Kulbiyow attacked a base of Al-Shabaab at Badhadhe, though the attack was repelled. [10] [8] On the next day, the Kenyans received intelligence about an impending counter-attack by the Jihadists, so that soldiers were sent on scouting missions to help gather more information and to prepare Kulbiyow's defences. [4] At the time, the base was held by 250 Kenyan and Somali soldiers. [3] [5] The core of the base garrison was formed by the 15 Kenya Rifles' C Company [3] of 120 men, [5] organized into four platoons. [11] The Kenyan company also included a howitzer battery as well as several mortars. [3]

When the attack eventually began on the night of 26–27 January, it was launched from Badhadhe, [10] and was led by the Saleh al-Nabhan Battalion, an Al-Shabaab unit which had already won some renown by partaking in the major Islamist victory of El Adde in the previous year. [6] Furthermore, several of the attackers were reportedly Arab foreign mujahideen, who appeared to be especially well trained and battle-hardened. [9]

Battle

When Al-Shabaab forces began moving towards Kulbiyow, they were spotted by an AMISOM surveillance drone around midnight; in response, the Kenyans at Kulbiyow began firing mortars and artillery at the militants. This bombardment lasted about 50 minutes, whereupon the base's defenders assumed that they had repelled the Al-Shabaab fighters, and resumed their normal routines. [4] [3]

Around 5am, [8] about 20 minutes after the Kenyans had assumed victory, the drone spotted more militants approaching the base. [4] This al-Shabaab assault was spearheaded by two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). [8] The renewed attack caught the defenders largely by surprise. [4] The Kenyans destroyed one VBIED before it reached the base, [8] but another explosive-laden truck that was driven by an Al-Shabaab suicide bomber was able to reach their position. Though the car bomb was finally destroyed by a Kenyan soldier who fired an 84mm anti-tank gun at it, the vehicle had already breached the base's outer perimeter by this point. [4] Its explosion caused many losses to the Kenyans. [8] An infantry strike force, between 150 and a few hundred militants strong, then stormed the base, supported by mobile artillery [7] [lower-alpha 1] and technicals. [1] A brutal and confusing firefight began. Captain Silas Ekidor, the Kenyan second-in-command, attempted to reorganise the defences and rallied several soldiers to his position but was killed by a second car bomb. The Artillery Battery commander, Major Mwangi, was also killed at some point during the fighting. [4] Meanwhile, two of the four Kenyan platoons present had begun to retreat under the orders of their commanders, leaving the two other platoons alone to face the attackers. [11] Researcher Jacob Beeders argued that this move sealed the base's fate, but also prevented the garrison from being entirey overrun. [8]

Soon after, the base's inner defences were breached by a third bomb-laden truck, whose explosion allowed the Al-Shabaab fighters to overrun the remaining defenders; the surviving pro-government forces were forced to flee into the bush, as the militants pursued them. [5] [12] The battle had lasted around 90 minutes, [10] with al-Shabaab later claiming to have killed more than 67 KDF soldiers and capture several more. [6] [lower-alpha 3] Accordingly, the two retreating platoons survived, while the two units which had remained at the base and continued to fight were almost completely destroyed. [11]

"Indeed, Allah has promised you much spoils of war."

Quote from Al-Fath, used by Al-Shabaab to describe the battle's outcome. [6]

With the retreat of the pro-government forces, Al-Shabaab was left in full control of both the base as well as the nearby town, and the insurgents proceeded to take vehicles and supplies while burning the military vehicles they could not use. [6] [10] [5] [12] The garrison had called for help, and nearby Kenyan security forces mobilized to assist, but the rebels had mined the roads leading to Kulbiyow, causing losses to the reinforcements and delaying their advance. [8] Meanwhile, Kenyan Harbin Z-9 attack helicopters arrived at the battle site and began to fire at the militants, forcing them to scatter, [4] though the insurgents appeared to have been able to withdraw with much loot in good order. [6] Hours later, Kenyan ground forces arrived at Kulbiyow and took possession of the military base. [4]

Aftermath

The KDF later denied the high number of killed Kenyan soldiers as Al-Shabaab propaganda, with one KDF spokesman even refusing to admit that the base had fallen in the first place: "[Kenyan] soldiers repulsed the terrorists, killing scores." [6] [5] The Kenyan government even tried to portray the battle as victory for the KDF, which was disproven as soon as eyewitness reports emerged. [7] A Somali officer who had survived the attack, however, described the battle as "disaster", [5] while a Kenyan officer who arrived at Kulbiyow after the battle said "it was a horrendous scene" in regard to the many killed soldiers lying around. [11]

The attack was believed by analysts to have primarily been a propaganda coup by Al-Shabaab, which wanted not only to prove that it still was "a force to be reckoned with", but possibly also influence the upcoming elections in Kenya, where the mission in Somalia was increasingly questioned due to high casualties among the KDF. Directly after the Kulbiyow raid, Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga once again reaffirmed his position that the KDF should retreat from Somalia. [2] [7]

Notes

  1. 1 2 The KDF claimed that 1,000 militants attacked the camp. [3] Another estimate put the number at 500. [8]
  2. ↑ Locals said "dozens" of militants had been killed, [10] while the KDF claimed that Al-Shabaab had lost 70 fighters. [2] One KDF corporal even claimed to have seen at least 200 dead insurgents at the base. [3]
  3. 1 2 The KDF initially claimed that only nine Kenyans had died during the fighting, [2] but later admitted that at least 21 soldiers had been killed and 44 wounded. [3] On the other side, local residents estimated that around 40 Kenyans had been killed, [5] while around 50 dead soldiers could be seen in Al-Shabaab propaganda videos of the attack; [6] Al-Shabaab itself first claimed to have killed 51 soldiers, [2] though later raised this number to over 67. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Union Mission to Somalia</span> Peacekeeping mission

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations Security Council. It was mandated to support transitional governmental structures, implement a national security plan, train the Somali security forces, and to assist in creating a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid. As part of its duties, AMISOM supported the Federal Government of Somalia's forces in their battle against Al-Shabaab militants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali Civil War (2009–present)</span> Present phase of the Somali Civil War, concentrated in southern Somalia

The Somali Civil War (2009–present) is the ongoing phase of the Somali Civil War which is concentrated in southern and central Somalia. It began in late January 2009 with the conflict mainly between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops and al-Qaeda aligned al-Shabaab militants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mogadishu (2009)</span>

The Battle of Mogadishu (2009) started in May with an Islamist offensive, when rebels from al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam attacked and captured government bases in the capital of Mogadishu. The fighting soon spread, causing hundreds of casualties, and continued on at various levels of intensity until October. The battle's name usually includes the year, when referenced, in order to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades long Somali Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmed Abdi Godane</span> First leader of Al-Shabaab (2007–2014)

Ahmed Abdi Godane, also known as Mukhtar Abu Zubair, was the Emir (leader) of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group based in Somalia with ties to Al Qaeda. Godane, who received training and fought in Afghanistan, was designated by the United States as a terrorist. The exact date of Godane's rise to al-Shabaab's Emir is debated, although it seems he ascended to this position in December 2007. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike on 1 September 2014 in southern Somalia.

Bulo Marer is a town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. It was a base of Al-Shabaab, and was the site of an ill-fated 2013 military operation during which French commandos attempted to free a French hostage that was being held by the insurgent group. The town was taken by Somali government forces assisted by AMISOM troops after a battle on August 30, 2014. It was the site of the 2018 African Union base attack in Bulo Marer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mogadishu (2010–2011)</span>

The Battle of Mogadishu (2010–11) began on 23 August 2010 when al-Shabaab insurgents began attacking government and African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) positions in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab began its offensive after its spokesman said the group was declaring a "massive war" on troops sent by AMISOM, describing its 6,000 peacekeepers as "invaders". In December 2010 the number of AMISOM troops was increased to 8,000 and later to 9,000. The battle's name usually includes the years, when referenced, in order to distinguish it amongst the nine major Battles of Mogadishu during the decades long Somali Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2011 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

The Battle of Gedo is a conflict of the 2009–present phase of the Somali Civil War. Centered in the region of Gedo, it pits the Somali government and its allies against the al-Qaeda-aligned militant group Al-Shabaab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenya Army Infantry</span>

The units of the Kenya Army Infantry are the principal fighting arms of the Kenya Army. The primary mission of the Infantry formations is to fight and win land battles within area of operational responsibilities in the defence of the nation against land – based aggression, while the secondary mission is the provision of aid and support to civil authorities in the maintenance of order. The Kenyan School of Infantry (SOI) is located in Isiolo County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Linda Nchi</span> Kenyan military operation (2011–2012)

Operation Linda Nchi had the Kenya Defence Forces enter southern Somalia beginning in 2011. The Kenyan government declared the operation completed in March 2012, but its forces then joined AMISOM in Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2012 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kismayo (2012)</span> Part of the War in Somalia

The Battle of Kismayo was an offensive led by the Kenya Defence Forces, under the codename Operation Sledge Hammer, to seize the port city of Kismayo, Somalia, from Al-Shabaab from 28 September 2012. Fighting alongside the Kenya Army were Raskamboni movement militia and the Somali Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2014 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Indian Ocean</span> 2014–2015 Somali–AMISOM–US mission against al-Shabaab

Operation Indian Ocean was a joint military operation between the Somali military, AMISOM and the United States military against the Al-Shabaab militant group aimed at eliminating the remaining insurgent-held areas in southern Somalia. It officially began in August 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 timeline of the Somali Civil War</span>

This is a 2015 timeline of events in the Somali Civil War (2009–present).

This article contains a timeline of events for the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of El Adde</span> Al-Shabaab-KDF military incident in 2016

The Battle of El Adde took place on 15 January 2016. Al-Shabaab militants launched an attack on a Kenyan-run AMISOM army base in the town of El Adde, Gedo, Somalia. It remains the deadliest attack on the African Union Mission to Somalia and is the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) largest defeat since independence in 1963. As such, the Kenyan government went to extreme lengths to conceal the extent of its losses. It has been described by the media as a "military massacre" or military disaster. It was also the largest military defeat in Kenyan history.

The Golweyn ambush by al-Shabaab militants against an AMISOM convoy took place on 30 July 2017. Resulting in the death of several Ugandan soldiers, the attack seriously disrupted the control of pro-government forces over the Lower Shebelle region in Somalia, eventually leading to the fall of the strategically significant town of Leego to al-Shabaab.

The Camp Simba attack was a pre-dawn attack at Magagoni Airfield near Camp Simba on 5 January 2020. The camp is used by Kenyan and U.S. troops and is located near Manda Bay on the mainland of Lamu County, Kenya. The perpetrators were al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based Islamic extremist insurgent group. Approximately 30-40 al-Shabaab militants assaulted Camp Simba, which was home to around 100 US personnel along with an undisclosed number of Kenyan troops. It was the first al-Shabaab targeting of US military personnel in Kenya.

The battle of Buulo Mareer took place on 26 May 2023, when Al-Shabaab fighters stormed an African Union military camp manned by Ugandan forces in the town of Bulo Marer, Lower Shabelle, Somalia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Williams (2018), p. 202.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Harun Maruf (29 January 2017). "Analysis: With one attack, al-Shabaab targets three elections". Daily Maverick.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fred Mukinda (5 February 2018). "KDF commander recounts Shabaab attack". Daily Nation . Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Nyambega Gisesa (30 January 2017). "Kenya: Gallant Soldiers Fought to Their Last Breath to Repulse Attackers". AllAfrica.com .
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jason Burke (27 January 2017). "Witnesses say dozens killed in al-Shabaab attack on Kenyan troops". The Guardian .
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Caleb Weiss (31 January 2017). "Shabaab details deadly raid on Kenyan military base in Somalia". Long War Journal .
  7. 1 2 3 4 Anzalone (2018), p. 13.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jacob Beeders (21 March 2017). "What Happened in Kulbiyow, Somalia: An Open Source Investigation". bellingcat. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  9. 1 2 Abdikarim Hussein (1 February 2017). "KDF survivor reveals more DISTURBING details of the Kulbiyow attack". tuko.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Harun Maruf (27 January 2017). "Al-Shabab Captures Somali Military Base". Voice of America.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Moses Michira (29 January 2017). "Kulbiyow camp battle left 68 patriots dead". The Standard (Kenya).
  12. 1 2 "Al-Shabab claims to have killed dozens of Kenyan troops". Al Jazeera. 27 January 2017.

Works cited

1°08′09″S41°13′21″E / 1.1357°S 41.2225°E / -1.1357; 41.2225

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.