Kenya will recruit more Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) to help intensify patrols along the porous border with Somalia and subsequently curb militants’ movements.
The revelation was made North Eastern regional commissioner Mohamed Birik who told media reporters that more police reservists who normally take part in community policing will be recruited and deployed to boost security along the border saying curb the movement by the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab making incursions into the country.
Those reservists who will be recruited include retired security officers who left the service with good track records though will be vetted thoroughly.
Residents in along the border counties called to volunteer with information of suspicious elements harboring in their midst.
Birik noted that, though tremendous gains against the militants have been made, terrorism threat remains rife especially in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Lamu counties citing their geographical proximities with Somalia.
Incidences of militants targeting security forces and patrol teams as well as telecommunication mast destructions have been reported in the mentioned counties, signaling militants resilience and maintenance of small cells along the frontier regions besides conducting sporadic, surprise attacks.
In the recent past months, there have been numerous attacks involving landmines, grenades, or other explosive devices in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties by the militants affiliated to Al-Shabaab.
