(Image Source: Al Jazeera)

BY YUTAKA HAYASHI
ANCHOR ZACH TOOMBS

Kenyan forces entered Somalia to counter an al-Queda backed militant group called al-Shabab.
The Kenyan government holds the Islamist group responsible for a series of kidnappings. Euronews has more:

“The troops began a huge offensive by land and air against the rebels at the weekend. According to a resident of the al-Shabab controlled city of Kismayu, fighters in armed vehicles are en-route to face troops in the city of Afmadow close to the border with Kenya.”

According to Al Jazeera, al-Shabab denies involvement in the kidnappings, but they control the Somalian border to Kenya, and are known for blocking aid to famine victims. BBC points to other possible culprits of the kidnappings:

“But many people would say look, this area inside Somalia is so full of banditry, men running around with guns, how on earth would you know who has kidnapped the four foreign nationals over the past few weeks. So, perhaps the Kenyans are finding a rather convenient excuse to go after al-Shabab, which is after all an al-Queda-linked group, which is on the U.S. terror watch list.”

Deutche Welle notes -- Somalian officials don’t want al-Shabab in the country -- but aren’t exactly fans of Kenyan troops on its grounds either.

“Thus, a rather bizarre situation has emerged: Somalia's envoy to the United Nations has protested against the Kenyan military operation while Somali government troops have reportedly been taking action of their own, coordinated with the Kenyans, against al-Shabab further to the north.”

According to NTV Kenya, some Nairobi residents show support for the military action even under the threat of retaliation.

"It was high time for the government to show the al-Shabab -- not the Somali people, there are good Somali people -- but those al-Shabab with the guns it is high time to show that we are serious and we are not going to let you to continue with this one. We will capture you and we will make sure that we stop your activities."

An analyst tells Voice of America -- Kenya shouldn’t have set foot in Somalia, pointing to past incidents by Uganda and Ethiopia that resulted in deadly retaliation. Also, the AP reports a car bomb exploded in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu Tuesday -- the same day Kenya's ministers of foreign affairs and defense visited to discuss the current military action.

Trancript by Newsy.