The East Africa Standby Force (EASF) headquartered in Kenya’s Capital Nairobi issued a statement saying that its troops are on standby and ready to deploy to Burundi which has suffered unrest since April if and when the African Union gives the order. Additionally, the deployment has to be confirmed and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government
EASF director Chanfi Issimail confirmed the standby status of force and readiness to deploy to Burundi on Monday which was barely a few days since the attempted assassination of Burundi’s Army Chief.
EASF is a regional operational arm of peace keeping element consisting of military, police and civilian components with strength of 5000 soldiers from 10 East African Nations. The members include; Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda with South Sudan as an observer pending approval to member status.
EASF has expressed its capability and operational ability to contain any civil conflict in the region upon approval by the AU Peace and Security Council. Burundi’s months-long unrest and numerous protests, high profile assassinations since April warrant the intervention of the regional force for the fear of acceleration to a full-blown civil war.
