Kenya’s Defense Minister, Aden Duale, has announced the government’s decision to withdraw its Defense Forces from Somalia by December 31, 2024. This move marks the culmination of a phased withdrawal process initiated in April 2021, as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
The deployment of Kenyan troops to Somalia in 2011 was a response to alarming kidnappings orchestrated by al-Shabaab, a group that posed significant threats not only to Somalia but also to the broader stability of the East African region. Kenyan soldiers, numbering over 4,000 as per Duale’s statement, have actively collaborated with other ATMIS forces to counter the al-Shabaab threat.
To date, 2,000 ATMIS soldiers, including 400 from Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya each, have exited Somalia. While Kenya had initially planned to withdraw 754 troops by September 30, the decision was postponed.
Minister Duale emphasized the necessity of supporting Somalian forces in their ongoing battle against al-Shabaab in central Somalia, underscoring the importance of sustained collaboration with international partners.
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