Kenya's forces to fully withdraw from Somalia in 2024, Duale says

NAIROBI, Kenya - The Kenya Defence Forces [KDF] serving in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] will fully leave Somalia by the end of December 2024, Defence Minister Aden Duale told Senators on Wednesday, noting that Kenya will fully comply with the Somali Transition Plan [STP].

About 3,500 KDF troops have been serving in Somalia since 2011 following the operationalization of Operation Linda Nchi, before fully joining the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMSOM] which has since transitioned to ATMIS. The soldiers operate within Jubaland.

KDF, Duale said, will not extend the stay unless there is such an authorization by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia and the United Nations. The soldiers are paid by the African Union which gets support from the European Union and other development partners. 

"Our soldiers will fully leave Somalia by the end of December 2024. We do not have any plans to extend our stay and we ought to stick to this plan," Duale told Senators while confirming that already, 400 soldiers left in June 2023 during the first phase of withdrawal. 

According to him, Ethiopia and Uganda also had 400 soldiers each leaving with Burundi and Djibouti having 600 and 200 respectively. However, the second phase of withdrawal which was scheduled for September 2023 did not materialize following a request to the United Nations Security Council by Somalia. 

"The soldiers in Somalia are doing a good job in stabilizing the country. Somalia asked for a technical pause of withdrawal to allow it to set some logistics for the next three months. Otherwise, we would have had 756 more soldiers returning home last month," he said, refusing to give exact figures of those who have died since 2011. 

The minister further said Kenya pays families of deceased soldiers about $40,000 with the African Union and United Nations adding $50,000 for those serving in foreign missions. Besides Somalia, Kenya is actively involved in DR Congo. 

Regarding Kenya's involvement in international missions, Duale credited the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia for helping to stabilize the country, adding that there is much progress due to ongoing military efforts.

“There is a semblance of a stable Government in Somalia today. The Somali Government has established and generated enough force and today you see the presence of Somalia at the forefront within Somali National Forces combating terror. That was not the case five or ten years ago,” he posited.

“I want to assure this house that the day for al Shabaab in Somalia and in our region is coming to an end.”

GAROWE ONLINE