Kenya to help 600 stranded Somalia soldiers to return home

Across the border, the SNA soldiers surrendered their weapons to Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers as they sought assistance.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has confirmed that Kenya hopes to repatriate the SNA personnel on Friday.

“They are in Kenya and they laid down their arms. We are now working on how to take them back to their home country on Friday,” Dr Omollo said.

Dr Omollo had earlier told a local TV station that the situation was unique, but that Kenya is working to resolve it amicably.

“There is no way Kenya can stop people from coming into the country. There was a situation that was getting out of hand in Somalia,” the Interior PS said.

Read: Jubaland: Rival candidates announce parallel election plans

Sources close to the matter said that the SNA soldiers are currently under the custody of KDF officers, with support from the National Intelligence Service. 

“What is currently being done is that we want to ensure that none of the SNA soldiers manages to enter into the country. Plans are underway to take them back to their country,” an officer involved in resolving the situation said.

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Jubaland have traded accusations on who is to blame for the clash.

Jubbaland officials accused federal forces of provoking the armed confrontation.

“Our forces, in their defensive operations, inflicted substantial losses on militias airlifted from Mogadishu,” Jubaland said.

Further, the semi-autonomous region claimed that Jubaland troops had seized defensive positions previously occupied by federal forces near Ras Kamboni.

Ras Kamboni is located in strategic coastal area and valued owing to its proximity to the Kenyan border and gateway to important trade routes along the Indian Ocean.

Read: Once united against Al-Shabaab, Somali clans wrangle over grazing territory

The town has become the epicentre of the ongoing power struggle between the FGS and Jubaland, the central government pushing for greater control over the regional states.

Jubaland claimed to have taken possession of Ras Kamboni.

Somalia on Wednesday said in a statement that the SNA soldiers were out to ensure they protect their people.

“The federal government of Somalia, which is fulfilling its duty to save the blood of Somalia people, especially the National Army troops deployed to the Lower Juba region to take over Atmis and leave there,” the statement read in part.

Somalia added that the move to send the officers was ignited by Modobe’s move to take over a Somali village sitting on prime land.

The clash comes barely three weeks before the African Union’s peacekeeping mission expires, with no agreement amongst countries in regard to proceeding with the mission, amid financial challenges.

Somalia is a federation of five semi-autonomous member states which are; Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and South West – and a central government in the capital Mogadishu.

Read: Clan elders demanding new federal state meet Somali President 

Tension has been rising between Jubaland and Mogadishu after a recent election saw former warlord Sheikh Ahmed alias Ahmed Madobe re-elected President of the semi-autonomous state.

Labeled unlawful by Mogadishu, Madobe is a wanted man, as Somalia recently issued a warrant of arrest against him. This is after he started championing for Jubaland to be an independent country.

Somalia also accuses him of treason and sharing state information to foreign entities.

A court in Jubaland recently issued a warrant of arrest for Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Somali law dicates that military resources be channeled to fighting common enemies, indicating that the Wednesday incident was an anomaly.

Jubaland's shoreline is a contested maritime zone with Kenya and it is believed to have potential oil and gas deposits.

The region is a significant grain supplier for the country plus Kismayu being an important port.

Additional Reporting by Abdulkadir Khalif

[email protected]