Two Kenyan men who had crossed into Somalia and enlisted in the Somali National Army were on Thursday arrested in an operation in Elwak, Mandera County, Police said the suspects were also linked to a series of robberies in the area. Officers acted on a tip-off about their activities…
They were found to be Kenyan citizens but had joined a foreign military. One is aged 23 and the other 32, police said, Both were arrested at Soko ya Roba after locals reported they were behind robberies in the area, Police recovered an AK-47 rifle with three empty magazines and one loaded with 27 bullets, The two will face charges of robbery with violence and foreign enlistment contrary to Section 68 of the Penal Code.
Such enlistment is common in the region, with many unaware of its legal consequences, Some returnees get involved in crime and inter-clan clashes, Police link this to the continued instability in Somalia, which has enabled Shabaab Militia terrorists to sustain attacks in Somalia and parts of Kenya, The group crosses from Somalia through the porous border to stage attacks, disrupting normal life in the region.
Kenya has responded by deploying more officers and technology to curb the threat, Local sympathisers have been blamed for attacks mainly targeting security officers and civil servants, including teachers.
