Kenya to probe civilian deaths in Somalia air raid

(AFP) – 5 hours ago 

NAIROBI — Kenya said Tuesday it will probe reports of civilian deaths in an air raid against rebels in south Somalia, and its army warned of further attacks in a campaign to oust the insurgents.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga said investigations will be carried out after Doctors Without Borders said Monday five civilians were killed when Kenyan warplanes struck a town in rebel-held south Somalia at the weekend.
"If there is any death that has occurred as a result of the military operation, it will be investigated thoroughly," Odinga told reporters.
"It is not our intention to kill innocent civilians."
The Kenyan military urged residents in several southern Somali towns to avoid Shebab camps as it prepared to attack the areas.
"In line with the Kenya Defence Forces strategy of diminishing Al Shebab effectiveness and weapon use ... the towns will remain under imminent attack," army spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir said in a statement.
"Residents in the towns are advised to avoid contact with Al Shebab militia."
Chirchir said two planes brought weapons Tuesday for the Shebab in a southern Somali town.
"We reliably confirmed that two aircrafts landed in Baidoa with an arms consignment intended for Al Shebab," he said.
Kenya deployed troops and tanks into southern Somalia in mid-October to battle the Shebab and prevent the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels from attacking its territory.
Nairobi blames the Shebab for a string of cross-border attacks and tourist kidnappings.
Chirchir said the country's navy on Tuesday advanced some 50 kilometres (30 miles) up the Somali coast from Kenya with warplanes providing surveillance.
"All this is designed to achieve our advance to Kismayo," Chirchir said, referring to the strategic port and rebel-held base, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) further along the coast.
The International Committee of the Red Cross urged all sides Tuesday to respect civilian lives and said it had resumed food distribution to over 6,000 displaced people after a temporary suspension following the air raid.
"The ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent remind all parties to the conflict of their obligation to spare the civilian population," ICRC Somalia chief Pascal Mauchle said in a statement.
"All feasible precautions must be taken to avoid, and in any event to minimize, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects," he added.
Kenya's military chief General Julius Karangi said the forces will pull out "when the Kenyan government and the people of this country feel they are safe enough."
Security forces in Kenya say they have stepped up surveillance and last week a 28-year-old Kenyan was jailed for life after confessing to being behind a grenade attack in central Nairobi that killed one and wounded several.
Odinga and his Somalia counterpart Abdiweli Mohamed Ali vowed Monday to defeat the Shebab and called for international help, notably a blockade on Kismayo port.