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ISS: Winning community trust can help rid Kenya of al-Shabaab
Written by ISSAfrica -
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To stop violent extremism in Mandera County, police need residents’ support and an extensive intelligence network.
Different approaches by Kenya’s county and national governments to al-Shabaab have made Mandera County a terror hotspot. The assaults started in 2011 when the Kenya Defence Forces entered Somalia to help that country fight the violent extremist group. Recent attacks on communication masts and the detonation of improvised explosive devices along major roads used by government and security officers suggest that al-Shabaab is there to stay.
Although the government has made attempts to push the terrorists out of Kenya, it won’t succeed without community support and an extensive intelligence network. It also needs to address corruption – a problem that is destroying the trust of Mandera’s people.
defenceWeb
Written by ISSAfrica -
6
Government and local leaders should prioritise boundary demarcation and security to resolve the deadly border dispute.
The killing of a senior police officer in Kenyaâs Kapedo area on 17 January is just the latest attack in a longstanding brutal conflict. Those responsible control the disputed Kapedo area that borders Baringo and Turkana counties.
This year alone, unrest in the area has claimed the lives of over 10 civilians and three police officers, and many have been injured, local authorities say.
But the battle has been raging for much longer. The massacre of 21 police officers in 2014 led President Uhuru Kenyatta to visit the area, demanding that the killers and the guns they stole from the dead officers be handed over. To date, nobody has been held responsible or prosecuted for the murders, making Kapedo a safe haven for criminals.