KDF to operate under Amisom in Mogadishu

By Steve Mkawale

Kenya Defense Forces have wound up Operation Linda Inchi in Somalia after registering strings of success against the Al Shabaab militia that had posed a major threat to country’s security and economy.

In 154 days, the troops engaged the militia group capturing some 22 towns that were under the Al Qaeda linked terror gang and managed to neutralise the threats Al-Shabaab had posed to Kenya.

Military spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna said since the troops crossed the border into Somalia they have captured some 95, 000 square kilometers of the lawless country making Somalis feel peaceful for the first time in the 21 years of war.

"Somali people now feel more peaceful than ever. Some of the refugee camps that were in Kenya have since been relocated to areas that KDF captured," he said.

In October 2011, Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia in an attempt to crack down on the militants responsible for a series of kidnappings of locals and foreigners.

On Saturday, Oguna said Kenya will now operate under the African Union peacekeeping force (Amisom).

He said 4, 660 soldiers will be part of the Africa Union enforcement force after the Government agreed on the command structure at Amisom.

Oguna said KDF will be part of the military council, which will be based in Mogadishu with 16 of its staff being Kenyans and other nations will contribute 69 staff.

He said in the command structure, Kenya will provide one of the two deputy commanders and the head of the intelligence.

"The commander will have two deputies, one from Kenya and the other from Burundi. These deputies will be in the rank of major general," said Oguna during the last press briefing of the Operation Linda Inchi.

Oguna said two Kenyan military officers will be spokesman and head of intelligence of AMISOM.

"Since we moved into Somalia last year (2011), we have not seen incidents of sea piracy. I must say we have managed to create a fairly safe buffer in Somalia," said the spokesman.

He clarified that a sector commander from KDF will command the Kenyan sector.

The military spokesman revealed that Kenyan troops in the Amisom will be reduced by 850 when Sierra Leone troops join the African Union peacekeeping forces in June.

Compensation for the Kenyan troops by the African Union will be done beginning January 5, 2012 while payments for equipments destroyed and used in the operation will be effected as from January 22.

Any other media briefing on the peacekeeping mission in Somalia will now be done from Mogadishu at the Amisom headquarters.