Kenya to down aircraft carrying weapons to Somalia

A military spokesman says Kenya will destroy aircraft it suspects of transporting weapons to militants in Somalia.

Nairobi; A military spokesman says Kenya will destroy aircraft it suspects of transporting weapons to al Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia.

Maj. Emmanuel Chirchir said Thursday that unexplained flights would be challenged by radio, and asked to detail their flight path and cargo.

He said if the Kenyan military was not satisfied with the explanation and the plane landed in areas held by the al-Shabab militia, the plane risked being destroyed.

Chirchir says that the Kenyan military has informants who say three flights carrying weapons for al-Shabab have landed in Baidoa, Somalia in the past week.

He also says that the Kenyan Navy sunk a boat with 18 al-Shabab fighters onboard south of the Somali port city of Kismayo late Wednesday.

Bureau Report