Kenya warned Somalia against violating its territorial integrity and demanded such breaches and aggression to cease forthwith. After a special session of Kenya National Security Council (NSC) Chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, 4th March 2020, Kenya made it stand that it will act aptly to preempt any threat on its security referring the recent incident witnessed in Mandera frontier.
Kenya instead called on the Federal Government of Somalia to put her energy in combating Al-Shabaab menace and stabilizing the country besides serving her people.
The Monday clashes took part in BullaHawa town in southern Somalia, close to border with Kenya between the Somali army and troops loyal to Ahmed Madobe, leader of Jubbaland, which is one of Somalia’s five semi-autonomous states.
The Nairobi statement noted that clashes destroyed properties of Kenyans in the town of Mandera, which lies along the shared porous border with an intention of provoking Kenya. The Government of Kenya demanded Somalia to cease and desist such unwarranted attacks on Kenyan soil.
The fighting has regional dimensions in East Africa. The Federal Government of Somalia for political reasons does not recognize the Jubbaland administration and blames Kenya for interfering with country’s geopolitics. Kenya has refuted those claims as void and baseless.
Its noteworthy Kenya which is among AMISOM contributing countries has suffered brunt of Al-Shabaab in an effort of trying to stabilize Somalia.
Federal Government of Somalia recently deployed troops massively in Gedo, a move that it termed that it was in line with protecting its sovereignty. Separately, United States and UN last week had warned FGS of such a move and highlighted the rivalries could distract partners from the war on Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab.
