Kenyan troops fight on beaches in assault on Somali rebel city

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Kenyan troops launched a pre-dawn attack on the Somali port city of Kismayu on Friday in an assault to drive the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militant group from its last major stronghold.

Fighting and shelling was taking place on the city's beaches after a land and amphibious assault, city residents and rebels said.

The loss of the southern port would deal a huge blow to al Shabaab as it is a lucrative source of revenue and a centre for operations over areas it has controlled in south-central Somalia since 2007.

The group, which formally merged with al Qaeda in February, has been steadily losing its footholds under sustained pressure from African peacekeeping forces (AMISOM) and Somali government troops for the past year.

More...