How KDF Soldier Single-handedly Saved Squad From Alshabaab Attack

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers on Monday, October 14, celebrated KDF Day at the Lang'ata Barracks, in an emotional ceremony that involved unveiling a plaque for soldiers who lost their lives in Somalia, and also honouring soldiers who had stood out in their service.

One of the soldiers who stood out at the ceremony was Senior Sergeant Abdi Guyo, whose risky act saved the lives of colleagues in his unit.

The Daily Nation reported on Tuesday, October 15, that Al Shabaab militants ambushed a KDF platoon early in 2019, an act that would have claimed the lives of between 25 to 50 soldiers.

A picture of a platoon mortar. It takes an average of three men to fire the mortar but Guyo fired it single-handedly.

Guyo is reported to have single-handedly fired a platoon mortar, which disrupted the flow of the insurgents and brought the soldiers to attention enabling them to repel the attack.

A senior sergeant in the military who is not authorised to speak to the media informed Kenyans.co.ke that it would take a lot for one soldier to set and fire a mortar, an activity that is equally taxing to any two or three individuals who are tasked with the job.

"It is a cylindrical object with a diameter of about 4 inches. The propeller is set inside, and then it is ignited, in effect hurling out the mortar from the ground to where the hostile agents are," he explained.

He further stated that it takes intensive training for one to be able to handle the mortar, as it is more than just loading and firing.

"As a soldier, one is expected to approximate the distance from the ground to the estimated position. You need to set it in a particular manner in order for it to work," the senior sergeant stated.

He clarified that with all factors put into consideration, what Guyo had achieved was no mean feat.

"It is a lot of work for one person since it needs to be held in position before the mortar is loaded," he stated.

On Monday, Defence CS Rachel Omamo had been keen to commend soldiers for their bravery in the line of duty.

"These soldiers go where we cannot go. This is the day we say thank you to them. We must never stop recognizing and remembering their efforts," CS Omamo was quoted.

Video of British soldiers firing a mortar at their training base in Kenya.

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