Kenya Army Special Forces Attacked After Capturing a Top HSM Logistician in a HVT Operation outside Sarira Flashpoint
On Saturday 10th of September 2016, Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) Special Forces (SF) came under heavy enemy fire approximately 6.5-kilometers outside Sarira area as they were returning to their Kolbio FOB from a ‘high-value-target (HTV) extraction operation in Kiunga. It took the reflexes of a paratrooper to save dozens of Special Forces troops under siege from Al-Shabaab militants.
Approximately 20 Al-Shabaab militants using PKM machine guns, RPG’s, and Kalashinkov assault rifles opened fire at the convoy of 3 KDF-SF Tactical vehicles on RTB mode 6.5 km outside Sarira. The militants were not aware that the small convoy was actually a Special Forces Squadron returning from an operation.
The militants used their marksmen to target drivers of the tactical vehicles unsuccessfully. The Special Forces vehicles were instructed via radio by the paratrooper to conduct a concerted RTR and charge at the enemy positions. This effectively flanked the militants from the rear thus cut them off from effective firing angles.
The militants began a hasty retreat, lost their formations, and abandoned their positions just as the SF-Troops wanted. They kept firing at the technical vehicles targeting the drivers. Bullets whizzed past the soldiers who held fort for minutes.
One SF-Troop discharged from the moving technical vehicle opened a burst of automatic fire targeting 2 positions held by the Pulemyot Kalashnikova Machinegun (PKM) gunners, killing both instantly.
The SF quickly assembled and deployed the bipod M6H-Mortar and fired at the enemy positions taking out the last 2 enemy Pulemyot Kalashnikova Machinegun (PKM) positions. This allowed the rest of the troops to get out of the technical vehicles and take positions while securing the HTV who they had captured in Kiunga.
The Al-Qaeda affiliated militants were mostly drawn from the local community since they spoke fluent Kiswahili. They were effectively repulsed most neutralized. The SF-Unit did quick recon and a BDA confirmed 8 Al-Shabaab militants were killed and all 4 PKM Machine guns, 2 AK-47 Rifles, and an RPG were recovered. The unit returned to base successfully ready for another mission in service to their country.
