By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Nairobi(Mogadishu24)-Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Aden Barre Duale, reiterated the government’s commitment to combat Al-Shabaab militants during his tour of the terror-prone Lamu County on Saturday.
The Minister strongly addressed the collaborators of the terrorist group in the country, stating that an intelligence operation is underway to identify and capture those who provide information, transportation, and supplies to Al-Shabaab militants in Boni Forest.
“Because the headquarters of Al-Shabaab is a place called Jilib in Somalia, and for sure, someone cannot come all the way from Jilib and commit a crime here in Mkoe without having a friend,” said Duale, Kenya’s Defence Minister.
“So when we come to your homes; the National Police Service, the Intelligence, and the KDF, we will hunt for everybody; Al-Shabaab and their collaborators in every part of Kenya, including Lamu,” he added.
He also added that the Kenya Defence Forces will undertake the construction of six security roads in and around Boni Forest to combat the terrorists more effectively, a statement that was earlier made by the Minister of Interior Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
The Cabinet Secretary further announced that the government will establish a 42KM cut-line that will separate the forest, stating that those who cross the cut-line will be considered terrorists.
“Anyone who is seen crossing that cut-line to the forest is not a Kenyan; we will consider him a terrorist and we will deal with him,” CS Duale stated.
The Cabinet Secretary cautioned the public against any involvement in corruption in the nationwide KDF recruitment set to begin on Monday.
He urged the public to fairly try their luck, stating the recruitment process will be free and transparent.
“Don’t send me a text, don’t call me, don’t call the President, don’t call any of us in defense. We want each and every Kenyan to go to the recruitment center in all our sub-counties across the country,” he added.
The Defence Minister’s visit to Lamu came after a series of Al-Shabaab attacks in the villages of Juhudi, Salama, and Withu in the Mkunubi ward.
The militants killed two people on Tuesday last week when they ambushed a lorry traveling in the Nyangoro area along the Lamu-Witu road on Garsen Highway, Lamu County.
The terrorists had also raided the villages of Juhudi and Withu, located in the Mkunubi ward. They later attacked Salama village, torching 10 houses and a church, and stealing properties.
