Somalia: Kenya army ready for attack

Kenya's military is preparing to protect its borders and refugees seeking a safe haven in the country following threats by extremists in Somalia to attack Nairobi.

The extremists, who have been fighting the Somalia government, have threatened to attack if Kenya sends its army to support the beleaguered transitional government. But the Kenyan military has been on high alert to prevent and — if need be — respond to any foreign attack.

At the same time, MPs on Thursday asked the government to close the border with Somalia and stop the movement of people from the war-torn Horn of Africa nation into Kenya.

Drastic action

The Parliamentary Committee on National Security described the threats by extremists as serious. “The threats require drastic action from the government,’’ said committee chairman Fred Kapondi, who is also the MP for Mt Elgon.

Mr Kapondi said people flocking into the country from Somalia posed a major security threat and should be blocked from entering Kenya. He said his committee and that of Foreign Affairs and Defence would jointly petition the government to take drastic action to protect its borders.

The Islamic militants, backed by foreign al-Qaeda fighters have been battling to topple the embattled government of President Sheikh Sharrif. Fifteen Somali MPs have so far fled to Kenya and their government has declared a state of emergency and called for urgent military support from the international community, including its neighbours.

Unconfirmed reports said a “Zulu alert” has been declared in some military installations. The alert means the county is in danger of attack and requires soldiers to be ready for action. There were also reports that some bases had cancelled leave and off days for their soldiers.

One soldier told the Nation that the Chief of General Staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, addressed soldiers at Moi Airbase, Nairobi, shortly before he left for Rwanda and informed them of the new leave orders.

On Thursday, there were reports in Garissa that al-Shabaab, the main militant group in Somalia, had threatened to blow up a crucial bridge that links northern Kenya with the rest of the country to prevent deployment of troops.

A special police rapid response unit has since been sent to guard the bridge. All vehicles and passengers are being thoroughly searched. “Our security is on high alert,” government spokesman Alfred Mutua said during the weekly briefing in Nairobi on Thursday. “Kenya will protect its citizens and the refugees near the border will be given the necessary comfort.’’

The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad), which is chaired by President Kibaki, is expected to meet on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Sirte, Libya, on Monday. Igad has taken a hard line on the extremists and Eritrea, which is supporting them. Eritrea is mainly looking for a new theatre for its hostilities with Ethiopia, which in 2006 routed the Somalia Islamists. The two countries are technically in a state of war.

An Igad meeting of ministers towards the end of May petitioned the UN Security Council to impose sanctions against Eritrea, which is a member of Igad. Eritrea has denied US President Barrack Obama a visa, though the administration is willing to engage the African state in dialogue.

In North Eastern Province, which borders Somalia, security forces were working to thwart possible infiltrations and cross-border movements by Islamist fighters. Most police stations and police posts across the barren frontier had been reinforced, according to police sources.

Police checks along the Mandera-Nairobi road have also been tightened. “We are carrying out strict security measures as we are on alert following what is goings-on in Somalia,” Wajir police boss Julius Kitili said. “We have intensified and tightened patrols.”