The Kenya Defence Force(KDF) is scheduled to join the second and final stage of the operation to flush out al Shabaab insurgents from Somalia next month.

The offensive will be launched after the KDF sign a Memorandum of Understanding to formally join the African Mission in Somalia by the end of the month.

A Kenyan delegation is scheduled to sign the MoU between May 26 and 28 after which it is expected to flush out the insurgents from the port of Kismayu where they will set up base.

In the latest strategy, KDF is expected to dislodge al Shabaab from Kismayu and jointly occupy it with Sierra Leone troops who have joined the Amisom. The area comprises Gedon, Upper and Lower Jubba.

The deputy Amisom spokesperson Captain Gilbert Nitunga said KDF is expected to sign the MoU before the second stage of operation against the terror group is launched in four fronts by Amisom in June.

Sector one,  which includes Banadir area with Mogadishu as it’s headquarters,  comprises middle and lower Shabelle, Marka port, Balcad and Barawe, will be under the Ugandan and Burundi forces which will also take care of Bay, Bakool and parts of the Gedo region.

Sector four of the offensive will be under the Djibouti military in Amisom who will take over Hiraan, area and set up base at Beledweyne.

Amisom says that the strategy is to flush Al Shabaab out of the country and make it governable. “The next step is to move out further into other regions of the country after securing Mogadishu especially are troop levels from all troop contributing countries rises to the expected 17,731 from all the rive countries participating. We have cut out all routes used by the insurgents to launch attacks in Mogadishu,” Captain Nitunga said.

Source: The Star – Kenya

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