Kenyan Air Force tweets Somalis: @Bombs away

In the midst of a bombing campaign against Somali extremists, the Kenyan Air Force has taken to Twitter to warn away civilians who may live in areas targeted for attack.

One problem: Few of the people most likely to be in harm's way either lack Internet access or have any familiarity with social media.

Last month, Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia to attack the Islamist al-Shabab militia, which it says has been behind a series of kidnappings.

Maj Emmanuel Chirchir has now turned to Twitter to announce that the villages of Baidoa, Bardhere, Dinsor, Afgoye, Buale, Barawe, Jilib, Kismayo and Afmadow were on the list of potential targets.

The move to social media comes after five civilians were reported to have been killed on Sunday, when Kenyan jet fighters struck what was reported as a rebel outpost. Chirchir later tweeted that al Shabab was responsible for the casualties, which he blamed on the rebels' firing an ZSU 2-3 anti-aircraft gun. In a follow-up interview, he told the BBC that the Kenyan military was focusing on al-Shabab camps on the outskirts of the towns.