Is Al-Shabaab in control of a staggering 60% of Mandera, Kenya?

What’s the deal with Mandera in Kenya? Is it true that Al-Shabaab controls 60% of the land there? This raises serious concerns about Kenya’s ability to combat violent extremism and protect its people. The governor of Mandera, Mohamed Adan Khalif, made this claim during a security meeting, stating that Al-Shabaab’s presence has made it nearly impossible to provide services to the people. Over the past couple of months, Al-Shabaab has been targeting Mandera and neighboring counties, putting pressure on Kenya and even forcing them to abandon plans to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border. However, the governor is now saying that he was misquoted and his statement was taken out of context. He clarifies that he meant to say that the presence and sightings of Al-Shabaab were more than 60%, not that they control that much of the county. He is urging the media to rectify this error and provide accurate information to the public. Meanwhile, Kenya is trying to strengthen its defenses by building more Forward Operating Bases along the border and is also expected to withdraw its troops from Somalia in accordance with the Somali Transition Plan.