Boost as Joe Biden sends troops to Kenya in Al-Shabaab war
NAIROBI, Kenya – US troops will work closely with the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] in the fight against Somalia-based al-Shabaab militants, it emerged just six months after Washington withdrew troops from Somalia under unclear circumstances.
Former President Donald Trump, by executive order, ordered the withdrawal of troops in what he called a “savings” strategy. The United States had approximately 700 troops from the United States Africa Command in Somalia, whose main task was to assist with aerial surveillance and the training of the Somali National Army. [SNA].
Although Al-Shabaab militants primarily target security forces and innocent civilians in Somalia, they often carry out high-profile attacks in neighboring countries like Kenya. The East African nation has nearly 3,500 troops in Somalia.
And US President Joe Biden announced the deployment of US special troops to Kenya to aid in the region’s counterterrorism efforts. It is not known how many troops will be deployed to Kenya.
In a letter to the US Congress seen by the Sunday Nation, President Biden said he had approved the dispatch of special operations troops to Kenya, which is expected to collaborate with the Kenyan military in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The number of troops is not indicated.
The US deployment is expected to bolster the security of Kenya, which has suffered deadly gun and bomb attacks from Al-Shabaab in recent years. The Somalia-based group is known to have supporters in Kenya.
Al-Shabaab has attacked the Somali government and military targets, but occasionally launches high-profile assaults in neighboring states, including Kenya. North-eastern Kenya and parts of the coast have been particularly targeted by terrorists, but there have already been high-profile attacks in Nairobi, including Westgate Mall in 2013 and the DusitD2 complex in 2019.
Al-Shabaab has publicly declared its intention to carry out attacks in retaliation for Kenya’s counterterrorism operations in Somalia, which it is conducting as part of the African Union Mission (Amisom) and could be encouraged following the announced withdrawal US forces in Somalia last year.
The United States defended its decision to withdraw in January, arguing that soldiers would be repositioned in Djibouti and Kenya for the Al-Shabaab war. However, a number of senior government officials criticized the move, with President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo arguing that the move would “erode” successes in the Al-Shabaab war.
The new Biden administration, which has publicly asserted that it sees Kenya as a “strategic” partner in the fight against terrorism, has engaged in overturning many policies that had been deployed by Mr. Trump.
“In the pursuit of counterterrorism efforts, the United States continues to work with partners around the world, with particular emphasis on the areas of responsibility of the United States commands in Central Africa and Africa.” President Biden explained in his letter to Congress on Tuesday.
Counterterrorism operations
“In this context, the United States has deployed forces to conduct counterterrorism operations and to advise, assist and accompany the security forces of certain foreign partners in the framework of counterterrorism operations … The armed forces of the United States are deployed to Kenya to support counterterrorism operations in East Africa.
The War Powers Resolution requires the US President to consult Congress before introducing armed forces into “hostilities” or “situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances” and that he informs Congress of this within 48 hours.
These reports, known as “48 hour reports”, are also required when the president sends forces overseas “while equipped for combat” or “in numbers which greatly expand” existing deployments equipped for combat – the idea being to allow Congress to control the slippery slopes that can lead the nation to war.
Al-Shabaab still controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, with the current administration accused of failing to fight the militants. The group still collects taxes in several cities in addition to controlling sections of the capital Mogadishu.
“Over the past four years, Al-Shabaab has had the ability to collect taxes and extort business. During my tenure, Al-Shabaab was on the run, ”said former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was the main guest on a Twitter. Space conversation hosted by Axadleon Saturday.
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