Somalia "loses" confidence in Kenyan troops under AU mission

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Federal Government of Somalia now says it has lost confidence in the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] and the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM], days after a fact-finding team on border conflict with Kenya released a report, which was negative to Mogadishu's expectations.

In a statement, Somalia accused Kenya of "direct" interference in the IGAD's fact-finding report which vindicated Nairobi of "illegal" actions undertaken to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of the Horn of Africa nation, particularly in the unsettled Gedo region of the country.

While insisting that Kenya has persistently violated her territorial sovereignty, Somalia said it has now lost confidence in the KDF team that serves and AMISOM particularly in Jubaland state, adding that time has come to "chat our way forward".

The FGS said the outcome of the IGAD fact-finding team mission undeniably damaged and undermined Djibouti's impartiality and status as an entrusted partner in the region, adding Somalia found the report as nothing more than a mouthpiece of Kenya.

Djibouti has already defended the outcome of the mission, arguing that the team undertook the exercise with "professionalism and impartiality" contrary to claims by Mogadishu. The report, it added, has already been submitted to IGAD chairman Abdalla Hamdok, who is the Prime Minister of Susan.

On Thursday, Kenya insisted that Somalia "should stop dragging us to their own internal conflicts" in a statement released by government spokesperson Col [rtd] Cyrus Oguna. Nairobi had welcomed the report, noting that it reflected the "true" position of what's happening in Somalia and Kenya.

This comes even as the border tensions between the two nations continue to escalate following recent fightings at Baled-Hawo, a town situated along the Kenya-Somalia border. The fighting involved the Somali National Army and Jubaland forces, who Somalia believes are being equipped by Kenya.

Among others, the IGAD team established that Kenya has never recognized Jubaland, trained or equipped the Jubaland forces, participated in the illegal importation of sugar and failed to protect citizens in AMISOM zones. However, it did implicate Kenya of violating Somalia's airspace.

Kenya has close to 3,500 soldiers working in Somalia under AMISOM mainly in Jubaland. The troops have been hailed for pushing for stability in the region by helping to flush out the Al-Shabaab militants, who are seeking to topple the fragile UN-backed Somalia administration.

GAROWE ONLINE