In a bid to avert potential attacks in the East African nation by the terrorist group al-Shabaab, the Kenyan government has deployed thousands of its security forces along its border with Somalia.
Kenya’s Defense Minister, Adan Barre Duale, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to bolstering its security measures and presented the ministry’s budget for the Financial Year 2023/24 to the Departmental Committee on Defense, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations.
The Defense Ministry has confirmed that 14 fully equipped Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) have been constructed along the Kenya-Somalia border ahead of the planned drawdown of the Kenyan Defence Forces from Somalia.
The FOBs serve as military installations that provide troops with the ability to respond quickly to threats and provide a secure base of operations. The Ministry aims to intensify its efforts to secure Kenya’s borders from infiltration by al-Shabaab fighters.
Duale emphasized the need to ensure that al-Shabaab does not find refuge in Kenya when they feel threatened by the security forces in Somalia. To achieve this, the government is committed to implementing more measures to bolster security along the border.
These measures will also serve as a protective barrier against other potential security threats such as illegal arms trafficking.
Kenya Defense Forces’ drawdown from Somalia, known as the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), is imminent.
The Defense Ministry’s efforts to strengthen border security come at an opportune moment to ensure that Kenya is secure when ATMIS forces withdraw from the Horn of Africa region.
The Ministry of Defense has been cost-effective and has efficiently executed projects, including the construction of the 14 FOBs, within the shortest periods possible. Due to Kenya’s strategic geographical position, the Defense Ministry remains committed to partnering with the country’s civil authorities in undertaking government projects that enhance the force posture of the Kenya Defense Forces.
The Kenyan government’s deployment of thousands of its security forces and constructing of 14 FOBs along the Kenya-Somalia border is a critical move towards enhancing national security, especially in light of the imminent ATMIS drawdown.
