On the 31st of May 2012 at 3pm East African time... that is on Thursday last week, the Kenya Defence Forces alongside the Somalia's National Army and the Ras Kiamboni brigade made strides in the war against the Al Shabaab, by capturing the town of Afmadow. The town was a major base for Al Shabaab operations and its capture all but cripples the flow of goods and information for the militia in the lower Juba region.
Now Afmadow falls in sector two of the Somalia border... before KDF's integration into the AMISOM operation, this sector was known as the Central Sector. Other towns that have been captured and liberated in this sector are: Dobley, Tabda, Belles Qooqani , and Hayo... the capture of Afmadow is a milestone - it is a major route to Kismayu, the port town that has in recent years been the Al Shabab's economic hub. Willis Raburu was embedded with K.D.F troops throughout this operation and he brings us the exclusive story in part one of the series 'Road to Afmadow'.