The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Francis Ogolla led a top Kenyan security team to Somalia’s Jubbaland to push local authorities to heighten the war on al-Shabaab.
The team met Jubbaland president Ahmed Madobe and registered their concerns over the increased attacks by al Shabaab in Kenya.
Al Shabaab has its main base in Jilb, which is in the Gedo region which they use to plan and attack places in Kenya near the main border.
More than 30 people have died in separate attacks by the terror group in the past month alone.
The Kenyan team was concerned the local authorities are doing little to tame the terror activities there and urged for more efforts to stop them.
“They also raised concerns over the invitation of some foreign country’s development projects to Kismayo which is interfering with the general war on terrorism,” said a source.
There is a new military base coming up in Kismayo which Kenya seems to be unhappy with.
Madobe has been a key ally of Kenya in the war against al Shabaab.
The team later visited the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops operating under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to establish their level of preparedness to degrade the al-Shabaab militia.
Gen. Ogolla was received by Brig Luka Kutto, the Commander of Sector VI and 2 Mechanized Infantry Battalion (2 MIB) Commanding
Officer, where he visited the troops based at the New Airport in Kismayo, and other Forward Operating Bases (FOB) in Somalia.
This comes ahead of the planned withdrawal of regional troops from Somalia amid increased attacks by the al Shabaab terrorists.
It was the latest such visit to the area as the troops continue to push back a resurgent al-Shabaab gang. Kenyan troops are in Somalia under
African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to help in fighting the al-Shabaab terror group. KDF went to Somalia in October 2011.
There are plans to withdraw the troops from the area and let Somalia take over.
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President William Ruto has indicated KDF may stay there longer beyond the drawdown timetable.
Ruto said the frontline states- Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia- have decided to stay on the course beyond the set timelines so that they don’t lose the gains made so far.
The CDF’s tour was intended to engage with the soldier, assess their state of mission readiness, and affirm the soldiers’ utility and effectiveness in the delivery of the KDF mandate in their respective deployments.
The CDF received a brief on the security situation in Kismayo and the commendable efforts made by the troops in countering the threats posed by the Al-Shabaab in line with the ATMIS mandate
While addressing the troops, Gen Ogolla commended them for their bravery and professionalism in promoting peace and mentoring the Somali Security Forces (SSF) towards assuming full security responsibility by the end of ATMIS in December 2024.
“Security awareness and alertness is key in the mission area. I urge you to remain alert and mission ready.
Perform your duties in positivity, high spirits, discipline, and courage in countering the enemy’s efforts. Let us strive to achieve sustainable peace in Somalia,” said Gen Ogolla.
During the visit, Gen Ogolla was accompanied by the General Officer Commanding Eastern Command (GOC EastComm), Maj Gen Juma Mwinyikayi, the Chief of Operations, Brig Giliard Kimonge, among other officers from the Defence Headquarters.
