French Military Operating in Somalia

From STRATFOR here.

French military troops discovered suspected members of the al Shabaab Islamist militia attempting to cross the Kenyan-Somali border in two boats at Raas-Kaambooni in Lamu, Kenya’s The Standard reported Oct. 10. According to unnamed sources, the French military cornered the militants’ boats in the deep sea, exchanging gunfire with the militants. Four militants were arrested after disembarking the boats but six others are presumed to have drowned. Lamu West District Commissioner Stephen Ikue confirmed that the French military was involved in an operation that occurred inside Somali waters but declined further details. French security teams have joined their Kenyan counterparts in battling militancy in Lamu, according to the sources.

The French military is probably operating in Somalia following the abduction of a French citizen from Kenya in an attempt to track down her whereabouts and rescue her, but there may also be more to it than that. Either way, the French military is on the ground in Somalia, armed and apparently ready to use force.

Noteworthy this week we hear about British special forces rescuing a pirated ship off Somalia, and now French special forces inside Somalia. While the US special forces are apparently everywhere else, the Europeans appear to have stepped it up inside Somalia.