Kenya to start talks on withdrawal of troops from Somalia

Kenya’s Defense Minister, Monica Juma is expected to start talks to plan withdrawal of troops from AMISOM operations in Somalia.

Kenyan troops crossed the border into Southern Somalia in late 2011 to stop armed group al-Shabaab attacks which threatened the main economy along its coastal border.

Kenyan Defense Forces formally joined African Union Mission in Somalia in July 2012 becoming part of six troops-contributing countries to the peacekeeping operations in the horn of the African state.

Despite liberating key strategic towns mainly in southern Somalia from the control of al-Shabaab, a UN monitoring report has accused the Kenyan military of its involvement in banned charcoal trade in the port city of Kismayo, which Kenyan government strongly denied the report.

The troops have also faced the pressure of withdrawal from politicians back home led by members of parliament from main opposition bloc led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Kenya shares a 684km-long border with Somalia which has remained porous with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks and a string of militant attacks affecting communities living along the border as well as within the capital Nairobi.

Although there was a succession of quick military victories by KDF in Somalia, the operation has not managed to shield Kenya from attacks by Al-Shabaab.

The negotiations come at a time when fights between the Federal Government of Somalia forces and various regional government troops have risked drawing back the gains made against the militants.

On Monday, Somalia was fighting itself after its national forces ambushed Jubbaland regional troops allied to a fugitive minister, Mr Abdirashid Janaan, near the Kenyan border with Somalia.

Fighting broke out between special troops of the Somali National Army (SNA) deployed to Gedo region to guard the border and Jubbaland forces loyal to Mr Janan, who reportedly fled prison in Mogadishu.