By NYAMBEGA GISESA
Leaders in Somalia are questioning the recent abandonment of a
military base in the country by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers,
saying the move will expose the country to Al-Shabaab threats.
military base in the country by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers,
saying the move will expose the country to Al-Shabaab threats.
The
leaders say Kenyan troops started withdrawing from Somalia after moving
out of Busar, KDF’s command centre in the northern sector of Jubaland, a
town that was liberated in the first 100 days of their entry into
Somalia.
leaders say Kenyan troops started withdrawing from Somalia after moving
out of Busar, KDF’s command centre in the northern sector of Jubaland, a
town that was liberated in the first 100 days of their entry into
Somalia.
On Tuesday morning, a contingent of troops
made the final withdrawal from Busar. “Our people spotted the troops
heading towards the Somali border. They destroyed their military base
before leaving,” a senior politician from Gedo, who requested not to be
named for fear of reprisals by both KDF and Somali security forces, told
the Nation.
made the final withdrawal from Busar. “Our people spotted the troops
heading towards the Somali border. They destroyed their military base
before leaving,” a senior politician from Gedo, who requested not to be
named for fear of reprisals by both KDF and Somali security forces, told
the Nation.
Busar is in Gedo region, where KDF recorded their greatest loss in history during the El Adde attack, in which about 200 soldiers died.
PEACE
Mr Aw Hirsi, the Minister for Planning and International Cooperation in Jubaland, told the Nation
that the withdrawal had left the people uncertain as to whether the
departure of the Kenyans could secure the region lasting peace and
tranquillity, or whether it could further land their weary souls into
the hands of Al-Shabaab militants.
that the withdrawal had left the people uncertain as to whether the
departure of the Kenyans could secure the region lasting peace and
tranquillity, or whether it could further land their weary souls into
the hands of Al-Shabaab militants.
The KDF operated bases in Bardera, Busar and El Adde, all of
which it has since abandoned. It also had forward operating bases FOBs
in Taraka and Fafadun, from which it also withdrew.
which it has since abandoned. It also had forward operating bases FOBs
in Taraka and Fafadun, from which it also withdrew.
The
Kenyan troops withdrew from Bardera in September 2017, and it fell back
into the hands of Al-Shabaab. The departure came just five days after
it abandoned its base in Bardera.
Kenyan troops withdrew from Bardera in September 2017, and it fell back
into the hands of Al-Shabaab. The departure came just five days after
it abandoned its base in Bardera.
On Tuesday, Department of Defence Spokesperson Bogita Ongeri and KDF spokesperson Paul Njoroge declined to respond to the Nation’s queries on what necessitated the movement of KDF troops towards the border.
AMISOM
A
senior official in the Department of Defence, who cannot be named
because he is not authorised to speak to the press, said that the move
is classified, and that they are awaiting a brief from the military
intelligence before making any public statements.
senior official in the Department of Defence, who cannot be named
because he is not authorised to speak to the press, said that the move
is classified, and that they are awaiting a brief from the military
intelligence before making any public statements.
The
withdrawal comes after top Amisom commanders met in Mogadishu on
February 16 and agreed on how to execute the mission’s new Concept of
Operations (Conops), a document that provides a framework for
implementing the AU troops’ gradual transition and final exit from
Somalia.
withdrawal comes after top Amisom commanders met in Mogadishu on
February 16 and agreed on how to execute the mission’s new Concept of
Operations (Conops), a document that provides a framework for
implementing the AU troops’ gradual transition and final exit from
Somalia.
The meeting was attended by Lieut-Gen Tigabu
Yilma Wondimhunegn, the Amisom Force Commander, and his deputy Maj-Gen
Charles Tai Gituai, a Kenyan in charge of Amisom’s operations and plans.
Yilma Wondimhunegn, the Amisom Force Commander, and his deputy Maj-Gen
Charles Tai Gituai, a Kenyan in charge of Amisom’s operations and plans.
According
to Mr Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Somalia Transition Plan
will include the phased and conditions-based troops’ withdrawal and
handing over of priority locations in Mogadishu to the Somali Security
Forces, the degrading of Al-Shabaab, and supporting the Somali National
Security Forces to take full charge of the country’s national security.
to Mr Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Somalia Transition Plan
will include the phased and conditions-based troops’ withdrawal and
handing over of priority locations in Mogadishu to the Somali Security
Forces, the degrading of Al-Shabaab, and supporting the Somali National
Security Forces to take full charge of the country’s national security.
WITHDRAWAL PLAN
Mr Hirsi blamed the Somali government for not being keen on following the Conops strategy.
Experts in military and diplomatic circles advanced various reasons for the withdrawal of the troops from Gedo.
The
first, they said, was logistical since it had become impossible to move
troops and supplies in the vast area due to dwindling funding for
Amisom operations.
first, they said, was logistical since it had become impossible to move
troops and supplies in the vast area due to dwindling funding for
Amisom operations.
“The decision for the drawdown in
terms of Amisom troop numbers was supposed to be in 2017, but the Somali
government has been asking for extensions due to fears that it might
not be able to hold back the militants. The funding for the operations
has also been dwindling,” Mr Edward Wanyonyi, a graduate of war studies
from King’s College, London, said.
terms of Amisom troop numbers was supposed to be in 2017, but the Somali
government has been asking for extensions due to fears that it might
not be able to hold back the militants. The funding for the operations
has also been dwindling,” Mr Edward Wanyonyi, a graduate of war studies
from King’s College, London, said.
The second reason
the experts advanced was political, and they cited the recent diplomatic
spat between Kenya and Somalia over their maritime border and the oil
blocks in the disputed area.
the experts advanced was political, and they cited the recent diplomatic
spat between Kenya and Somalia over their maritime border and the oil
blocks in the disputed area.
“By Kenya withdrawing from
their positions, Al Shabaab could fill up the void and in turn upset
Somalia as a way of getting back at them,” said Mr John Kariuki, a
geopolitics expert.
their positions, Al Shabaab could fill up the void and in turn upset
Somalia as a way of getting back at them,” said Mr John Kariuki, a
geopolitics expert.