KDF will not leave Somalia- Chief of Defence Forces

Kenya will not withdraw troops from Somalia and will continue battling Al-Shabab under AMISOM forces until Kenya is secure, Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces has said.

The Chief of Defence Forces Col. Lt. Samson Mwathethe said recalling Kenyan troops will provide a safe haven for criminals to recruit and arm terrorists in Somalia who will eventually pose an even greater risk to Kenya and the region.

“Because of the remarkable success of our effort in Somalia, al Shabaa operational bases have been substantially weakened,” he said.

In an interview with Kenya’s NTV in Kismayu, Somalia, Mwathethe likened the Al Shabaab to a snake that needs to be eradicated.

The KDF boss further appealed for cooperation from Kenyans to flush out any militants hiding in their midst as they change tact following pressure from Kenyan forces.

The Kenyan military crossed into Somalia in 2011 to battle Al-Shabaab, which it blamed for kidnapping tourists in the coastal region. In retaliation, the terrorist group has launched a spate of attacks in the East African nation.

In 2012, the troops formally joined the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) following the capturing of the strategic port town of Kismayo from the al-Shabaab militants.

Opposition parties in Kenya have severally called for the government to make an immediate withdrawal from Somalia after a series of deadly attacks launched by the militant group in the country.