Iran pledges support for war against terrorism

Iran has pledged to help Kenya fight terrorism and the threat posed by extremist groups.

This was one of the resolutions reached in talks between the Kenya Government and an Iranian delegation led by its Vice-President Mohammed Reza Rahimi in the last two days.
According to a document signed by the two governments, a meeting to discuss the threat posed to Kenya by terrorists as a result of instability in Somalia will be held in Tehran before September.

The meeting will bring together delegations from the two nations, a representative of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government and Igad.

Peace endangered

“Expressing concern over the current situation in Somalia which is endangering the peace and security in East Africa region, as well as terrorism and extremist movements, both sides emphasised on cooperation between regional countries, the African Union and Igad to find a peaceful settlement,” the statement read by Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Ongeri said on Tuesday.

The resolution came a day after Prime Minister Raila Odinga blamed Monday’s explosion at Assanands building in Nairobi on terrorists. (READ: Blast an act of terror, says PM Odinga)

Optimism

Mr Odinga, who signed the statement on behalf of the Kenya Government, expressed optimism that the meeting in Tehran over the Somalia crisis, could inject fresh impetus to the search for peace in the war-ravaged nation.

Kenya has been the target of several attacks in Nairobi, Mombasa and parts of northern Kenya since the Kenya Defence Forces launched a military operation in Somalia to defeat the Al-Shabaab in October last year.

Many of the attacks have been carried out using hand grenades, but it is still unclear what device was used during the Monday attack, which left more than 30 people injured.