The launch of the new army barracks in Garissa will help Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) curb Al-Shabaab operating from Kenya-Somalia border prefectures.
The Kenya-Somalia border prefectures have witnessed several cross-border attacks from the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab. The establishment of Modika Army Brigade in the northern frontier county of Garissa comes at a time Al-Shabaab though sporadically has increased activities in the border counties with Somalia.
The militant group has severally conducted ambush attacks on patrol team along the border, destroyed Safaricom BTS masts and even conducted attacks targeting public vehicles in northern prefecture counties, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa. The three counties have recorded the highest number of terror-related incidents in the country.
According to Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Walter Raria, the 6th Brigade will help KDF team to give quick backups in case of emergency. The brigade will also help KDF increase surveillance in the region and especially the volatile areas like border points with Somalia.
At one point the 6th Brigade was under the commander of Lt. Gen Raria but now Brigadier Paul Njema will take charge of Modika Army Barracks which was recently launched by the President and Commander in Chief, Uhuru Kenyatta.
Modika army barracks to host three army fight units and three support units in a program aimed at modernizing and improving the capability of the KDF.
KDF troops in Somalia will also use the barracks as temporary Forward Operating Base (FOB) during unforeseen emergencies.
