Kenya wraps up intensive combat training for troops deploying to Somalia mission

ISIOLO, Kenya — Kenya has concluded a rigorous combat training program for troops preparing to deploy to neighboring Somalia under the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), defense officials said.

The intensive pre-deployment training, conducted at the Infantry School in Isiolo, focused on combat readiness, force protection, and civil-military cooperation to prepare the personnel for the complex security environment in Somalia.

"The troops underwent simulated operational exercises mimicking the real-time challenges they will face on the ground," a Kenyan defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "This is designed to enhance rapid decision-making and tactical adaptability in a fluid environment."

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) also emphasized multinational interoperability during the drills, ensuring its units can seamlessly coordinate with other African contingent forces assigned to the AUSSOM stabilization mandate.

Kenya has been a major troop contributor to peace operations in Somalia, where the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab continues to wage a deadly insurgency. The extremist group frequently launches asymmetric attacks against government forces and international troops across central and southern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE