In new worrying news, Somali-based Islamist extreamist group, Al-Shabab, has issued fresh threats against Kenya warning that it intends to continue its attacks in major towns and cities until Kenyan troops are pulled out of Somalia.
Al-Shabab, in their statement dated Saturday, August 27, and titled ‘Kenya at a Crossroads,’ recognized Kenya has had a tightly-contested elections and called for the new government coming in place to revise existing foreign policies in a bid to prevent further deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers to Somalia.
“Know that we will continue to defend our lands and our people from the aggressive Kenyan invasion. We will continue to concentrate our attacks on Kenyan towns and cities as long as Kenyan forces continue to occupy our Muslim lands,” the group said.
The Al-Qaida-affiliated group noted that the 2022 Presidential candidates deliberately avoided addressing Kenya’s deteriorating security situation as well as their military invasion of Somalia.
“To the incoming government and Kenyan public, we have repeatedly warned you that your illegitimate invasion of our country and your oppressive policies will have serious consequences,” it said.
“The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) remain besieged in their bases, unable to leave their bunkers. They are also incapable of conducting any effective military operations against the Mujahideen,” read another part in the statement.
The terror group recognized the President-elect, William Ruto saying; “only time will tell whether the Arap Mashamba, the roadside Kuku seller is comepotetint enough to formulate a well thought-out policy to bring about peace and stability.”
Omar Mahmood, an International Crisis Group Senior Analyst for Eastern Africa together with Mohamed Husein Gaas, Director of the Raad Peace Research Institute based in Mogadishu, while discussing the situation with VOA said Al-Shabab threats are real, as they have seen the outlawed group become stronger financially in the last few years, despite the presence of heavy African Union forces in Somalia.
“The region’s increased insecurity due to the ongoing civil war in Ethiopia and the underlying political and social polarization will likely exasperate the insecurity of the region as a whole,” Mohamed Husein Gaas said.
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