CS Duale reveals when KDF troops will finally leave Somalia

Kenya will withdraw its troops from Somalia in four phases starting June 2023, Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has revealed.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers are serving in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), now the African Union Transmission Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Members of Parliament sought to know when exactly the Kenyan troops will be returning home.

Defence CS Aden Duale says KDF troops have until December 2024 to withdraw from Somalia in phases.

400 KDF troops withdrawn

In a response to the questions, CS Duale says already 400 KDF soldiers were withdrawn from Somalia by June this year.

Subsequently, Duale says that phase two of the withdrawal process was initially planned to end on September 30, 2023. However, this was paused after the Federal Government of Somalia requested for a three months extension.

Peace-keeping soldiers – under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), now the African Union Transmission Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) – patrol the Horn of Africa nation. There is a four-phase plan to withdraw all of them from Somalia after handing over to the Somalia Army.

Kenya, and other Troops Contributing Countries (TCC), are now waiting for the African Union and United Nation’s decision on when to resume phase two.

“The decision for Kenyan troops to exit from Somalia is dependent on several factors, including the progress of the ATMIS mandate and the prevailing security and political conditions in Somalia. Our commitment has always been towards the realization of peace, stability, and sustainable development in Somalia for the benefit of Kenya and the region,” CS Duale says.

Phase 2, 3 of KDF withdrawal from Somalia

In phase two, TCC are prepared to drawdown 3,000 troops, during which Kenya will recall 754 soldiers.

Finally, phase three will commence on October 1, 2023 through to June 30, 2024, where a total of 4,000 troops will be withdrawn from Somalia.

“The ATMIS mandate is guided by the AU and the UN Security Council resolutions, focusing on reducing the threat posed by al-Shabaab and other armed groups, enabling the handover of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces (SSF), and assisting in creating a secure environment for the political process at all levels in Somalia,” CS Duale adds.

Duale says that phase four of the drawdown will signify the final exit, and will take place from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.

During this final phase, all the remaining ATMIS troops will exit from Somalia.