Kenya’s defence minister in Kismayo for talks with Jubbaland leader

Kenya’s Minister of Defence Aden Bare Duale on Sunday arrived in Kismayo, the interim capital of Somalia’s Jubbaland state.

Duale held talks with Jubbaland’s leader President Ahmed Mohamed Islam aka Madobe on the regional state’s preparation to join the ongoing offensive against Al-Shabaab terrorists, according to a statement by Jubbaland State House.

The talks focused on “the ongoing preparations to begin an offensive against Al-Shabaab organisation to remove them from Jubbaland territories and Kenya’s support (towards the offensive),” the statement read.

The talks also dwelt on the need to bolster security along the Somalia-Kenya border during the offensive.

Kenya has one of the largest army contingents operating under African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

The Somali army, with the support of local armed militias commonly known as Macawiisley, have liberated vast territories from Al-Shabaab in the states of Hirshabelle and Galmudug.