Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet with senior security personnel during their tour of Boni forest in Lamu to inspect Operation Linda Boni meant to flush out Al Shabaab militants. [PHOTO/the-star.co.ke]Kenyan security forces have asked the civil society and activists to spot interfering with its operations regarding the bombing on the Boni Forest.
This is after groups came out to oppose the bombing of the forest saying it was destroying the forest's great wildlife and killing the livelihoods of the Aweer community.
According to Operation Linda Boni director Joseph Kanyiri, some members of Save Lamu and Lamu County Wildlife Conservation Committee have been making pronouncements that put the operation in bad light.
“I cannot comprehend why someone feels when a number of trees are destroyed in order to save a thousand lives. In fact they should be supporting the course," he said.
"This is serious business and that’s why am asking activists and conservationists to stick their necks elsewhere. We're here to protect lives and end terrorism and that will happen at any cost.”
Kanyiri said that only Al Shabaab hideouts inside the forest are targetted and that they are far away from any human settlement.
“The Aweer community remains intact and their lives go on [as usual], after all, the bombing is happening thousands of miles away from their habitats," he said.
"The bombing shall go on and whoever doesn’t like it should come out and tell us better reasons and not rumours. Many of those talking seem not to have an understanding of what exactly is going on. They should come and ask us.”