County News
Mandera MP files petition in Parliament to pull KDF out of Somalia
Kenya Defense Force in Somalia, (Courtesy)
NAIROBI—A law maker has petitioned the National Assembly to order the immediate withdrawal of Kenya Defence Forces from war-torn Somalia.
Mandera East legislator Omar Maalim wants the soldiers who have been in Somalia for seven years recalled.
He says they should be deployed to secure the country’s ‘porous’ borders instead.
The petition, if successful, will see the more than 4,000 KDF officers battling terror group al Shabaab back in the country after nearly seven years in the troubled land.
Mohamed says the maiming and killing of Kenyan security forces in the operation has emboldened the terrorists thus beating the intention of restoring peace in the neighbouring country.
“The National Assembly do resolve and recommend the immediate withdrawal of Kenya Defence Forces from Somalia and their re-deployment along the border of Kenya with Somalia,” reads the petition.
On Monday, about 20 al Shabaab militants were prevented from attacking an AP camp in Amey, in the border town of Liboi, on Tuesday morning.
Garissa County Commissioner Joshua Chepchieng’ said the terrorists intended to attack police at about 2 am but were kept at bay as they have been alert.
KDF troops entered Somalia under the aegis of “Operation Linda Nchi” on October 14, 2011 in pursuit of Al Shabaab terrorists who had been entering Kenya at will to abduct and kill aid workers and tourists in North Eastern and Coast.
According to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2372 (2017), Kenyan troops will leave Somalia in December 2020 after mentoring Somali security forces to take over control from Amisom.
At least 200 Kenyan troops were last withdrawn from Amison as part of its share in the 1,000-man strong force in the drawdown authorised by the UN Security Council while another 200 KDF troops are scheduled to withdrawn from Somalia by December.
