NAIROBI, Kenya – Young people who engage, help or otherwise sympathize with Al-Shabaab militants in Kenya will be killed on the spot by security forces, a senior administrator said, in another statement that could spark a lively debate among politicians and human rights activists.
Traditionally, those accused of engaging in violent extremism in Kenya often have access to justice, which includes a fair trial in the corridors of justice, with their fate often depending on the evidence submitted by the prosecution.
But Nicodemus Ndalana, the regional coordinator for northeast Kenya, has issued the order to eliminate anyone linked to terrorism, arguing that those responsible for these activities are locals who cooperate with foreigners to incite lawlessness. in Kenya.
“Those who operate in this area are locals. Someone cannot come from Kismayo, hide here and even know the landscape without the knowledge of the locals, ”Ndalana said, adding:“ There must be young people showing them around.
The coordinator, who is the president’s highest representative in the region, further urged parents to start “making graves” for their stubborn sons, adding that “as a government we are not going to have mercy on them. no one, including supporters of Al-Shabaab. The cure for taming Al-Shabaab is gunshot death.
According to him, a number of residents “betrayed” the security forces during operations, in particular by communicating sensitive information to them during operations, which led to the implantation of improvised explosive devices. [IEDs] along some routes.
The leaders, those who provide shelter to Al-Shabaab, will all be classified as “enemies” of the country and will meet their “imminent” deaths. His warning comes barely a year after President Uhuru Kenyatta instructed local leaders to “go back and identify the terrorists.”
Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties as well as Lamu which lies along the coastal strip suffered huge losses in the Al-Shabaab war, with militants targeting security forces and non-locals. In fact, in 2019 there was a massive exodus of non-locals, especially teachers and doctors from the region.
One of the worst attacks targeting civilians took place in 2015 when militants attacked Garissa University, killing nearly 150 students. There have been attacks targeting security forces and destruction of communications infrastructure over the years, with Mandera Governor Ali Roba claiming militants control 60% of the county’s landmass.
The order comes days after troops from the U.S. Africa Command began arriving in Wajir where they are expected to provide aerial surveillance and response when needed, a region security source told Nation, Africa.
It comes a week after it was reported that US President Joe Biden revealed his intention to deploy special forces to Kenya. It is not clear, however, whether the troops in Wajir are linked to the president’s communication.
In a letter to the US Congress earlier this month, President Biden said he had approved sending special operations troops to Kenya to collaborate with the Kenyan military in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
“We have the Americans and they chose Wajir because of the international airport which can easily help with quick responses. They will investigate and respond to incidents in Garissa and Mandera from Wajir, ”Nation told. Africa
“They are not new to this area. They have just returned from Somalia and they understand the area well, ”said our source. Wajir camp is the second in the country after Simba camp at Manda Bay in Lamu.
Speaking to Mandera at a security meeting on Friday, Northeast Regional Commissioner Nicodemus Ndalana alluded to the arrival of special troops.
“We have received specialized security units which will strengthen our efforts in the fight against Al-Shabaab in this region,” Ndalana said. He declined to disclose whether they were US troops, however. He insisted that the northeast region has attracted specialized security units due to the increase in terrorist attacks this year.
“We won’t have a security problem, but the challenge will be the cooperation and coordination of our local security apparatus and the community. We must agree to cooperate in this fight against Al-Shabaab ”, he declared.
AXADLETM
