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FILE PHOTO: Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Rangers, who are part of the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), secure an area during a foot patrol on the outskirts of the controlled area of the old airport in the coastal town of Kismayu in southern Somalia November 12, 2013. /Reuters
The Kenyan government has foiled planned attacks by Al-Shabaab during the Holy month of Ramadhan, which would have seen a number of kidnappings and hijacking of government vehicles, according to a confidential security brief seen by the Sunday Nation shows.
The government was able to achieve this by collaborating with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Intelligence Services (NIS).
According to the brief, "Al-Shabaab terror group has upscaled targeted attacks both in Kenya and Somalia. The group has established parallel operational administrative structures in five of the seven Federal member states (FMS) including the capital city, Mogadishu. The terrorist group has also infiltrated the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) where they occupy key positions, receive financial support and influence decision making.”
It also reads that, "Al-Shabaab's gains both in FMS and FGS are part of its plans to ascend to political power in Somalia and in the long-term create an Islamic caliphate in the Eastern Africa region. The militants have also taken advantage of the negative propaganda by Somali citizens and their diaspora community in the mainstream media in denting the images of AMISOM contributing countries and Kenya in particular following the maritime dispute."
The Al-Shabaab attacks are part of the campaign to force President Uhuru Kenyatta to withdraw KDF soldiers in Somalia where they are fighting the terror group as part of the effort to pacify the troubled nation.
Equally, since Al-Shabaab like any other terror group likes to hog the limelight, the dominance of the news on the coronavirus outbreak has also generally meant they scale down their operations.
Source: Sunday Nation
