Photo: Shabelle

Members of the Islamist militia Al Shabaab whip a suspected criminal.

Kismayo, Somalia — Kenya's military stated that its naval forces shelled the stronghold of Kismayo, Radio Garowe reports.

The Kenyan military spokesman Cyrus Oguna, who spoke to VOA, said that his forces had shelled the port city of Kismayo after Al Shabaab militants fired on Kenyan warships patrolling the Somali coast.

This is the first shelling by a Kenyan warship on Kismayo, whose coast is regularly patrolled by Kenyan warships.

Local sources in Kismayo say that heavy artillery from the Kenyan warship was fired in the early hours of Tuesday injuring some residents.

According to local sources a young boy and his mother were injured after a shell hit their home early Tuesday morning.

Kenyan forces fighting Al Shabaab in southern Somalia have made little advancements in the past 7 months fighting in Somalia.

It is unclear if it is in Kenya's strategy to attack the port city on the coast as well on ground. Ethiopia has stated that it is ready to assist Kenya and the TFG in their fight to capture Kismayo.

Ethiopia' commander of forces in Somalia, Gen. John, said that Kenyan forces were supposed to capture the stronghold of Kismayo by the time Ethiopia's forces captured Baidoa a former stronghold of the Al Shabaab until they were forced out in February.