Kenyan Warship Bombards Somali Port Kismayu

After Somali militants opened fire, Kenyan patrol boats responded, shelled the town

Kenya's military spokesman Cyrus Oguna verified that his forces had shelled the town after Al-Shabaab militants opened fire at Kenyan warships patrolling Somali coast.

This was the first bombardment of Kismayo by the Kenyans whose naval ships regularly patrol the Somali coast. Local eyewitnesses in Kismayo say that a Kenyan warship opened gunfire early morning of May 29, and shells wounded several residents including a boy and his mother.

Analysts supposed that Kismayo port being the major source of income for Al-Shabaab islamists would be the key target of Kenyan forces which entered Somalia in Oct 2011.

Nevertheless, the Kenyans have made minor progress inland Somalia through the recent 7 months. It is unclear whether that bombardment is a part of Kenya's strategy to attack the port town. Ethiopia declared earlier in May it was ready to assist Kenya and Somali regular army to seize Kismayo.