The Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin held a meeting with the Somalia Police Force’s Criminal Investigative Division Commander Mohamed Abdulwahab Mohamed in a unique meeting at Mazingira Complex offices, Nairobi.
Mohamed was visiting Nairobi for a series of meetings.
The meeting came after the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Kenya and the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and their Somali counterparts held discussions with officials from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, on countering terror in the Horn of Africa.
During the meeting, the two chiefs discussed how best they can collaborate in areas of mutual interest including intelligence sharing and how to combat transnational organized crimes affecting the two countries and the region.
The DCI and his guest committed to strengthening the existing ties between the two investigative agencies, particularly in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and also in capacity development to combat cross-border crimes.
Somalia is struggling to address a barrage of terror-related attacks especially on security agencies.
The meeting comes amid increased attacks by al-Shabaab terror groups in Somalia and neighboring Kenya.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia to pursue and suppress the terror group’s activities.
Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has started the drawdown of troops.
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The drawdown of 2,000 troops in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions has seen the Xaaji Cali
Forward Operating Base (FOB) was handed over to the Somalia National Army.
The resolution mandates ATMIS to draw down 2000 soldiers by the end of June 2023.
This has raised fears amid increased attacks by terrorists in the areas.
But President William Ruto has indicated the troops from Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia may stay longer to continue to fight the terror group.
“We have decided as the frontline states- Uganda, Kenya, Sudan- that we are going to stay on this course and if necessary and we think it is necessary we are going to stay beyond the drawdown timetable so that we don’t lose what we have achieved merely because we have walked away from a situation and allowed al Shabaab back into the equation or into the theatre,” he said.
“ We are very clear and we are going to send a compelling message to al Shabaab that they are not going to reverse the gains we have made in the last couple of years.”
He said the al Shabaab terror group is trying to reposition itself after the start of the withdrawal of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops to create the impression that they will take over the region.
