by ALLAN KISIA
Sunday October 1, 2023
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale in Nairobi on September 25, 2023
Image: DUALE/X
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has assured Kenyans resurgence of terrorist attacks will be defeated.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving ceremony in Isiolo County on Saturday, the CS said security teams along the border and in Somalia are hunting down terrorists and their cells in our country.
“We will deal with terror cells and financiers within and outside our country,” he said.
Duale maintained that for the economy of Kenya to grow, the security of the country both internally and externally must be guaranteed.
“We do not tell the people how many security incidents we thwart every hour, every day in our country. We have put everything in place, our forces, every resource and we will not stop at anything to make sure our country is safe and secure from terrorists,” he said.
He said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin promised to support the war against terror in the country and the region during his recent tour of the country.
“He was here for two days. We share intelligence, we work together in the country, in the region and horn of Africa to deal decisively with terror infrastructure,” Duale added.
Duale further assured Kenyans that there would be no extra judicial killing.
In February, the government announced the deployment of the military in six bandit-prone counties where attacks have been witnessed in recent days to avert further loss of lives.
Kenya Defence Forces were deployed in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency in Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu counties caused by rampant incidences of banditry.
The deployment came after more than 100 civilians and 16 police officers were murdered by marauding bandits and livestock rustling terrorists in the Northern Rift Valley region of Kenya in six months.
On Saturday, Duale warned Kenyans in neighbouring the six regions against engaging in livestock theft.
“We will deal with you the same way we are dealing with bandits in the six counties,” he vowed.
Duale said more military bases will be built in banditry-prone areas.