Kenya to ‘completely’ withdraw troops from Somalia by 2024

Kenya will remove all of its peacekeeping troops serving under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) by December 2024, Defence Secretary Aden Duale has said after appearing before the plenary of the Senate.

In June, Kenya pulled out a first batch of 400 soldiers in the first of four phases of the ATMIS drawdown from Somalia ahead of the handing over of the security responsibility to Somali National Army. Duale told a plenary of the House that a second phase that was to be completed in September was halted on Somalia’s request.

Somalia requested a three-month extension, which is awaiting approval by the AU Peace and Security Council and the UNSC. Phase one of the drawdown has been completed where a total of 2,000 ATMIS forces have exited. 400 from Kenya, 400 from Uganda, 400 from Ethiopia, 600 from Burundi and 150 from Djibouti.

“Phase three will commence on 1 October 2023, through to June 2024 where a total of 4,000 Kenya Defence Forces troops will be drawn down,” he said, adding, “Phase four of the drawdown signifies the final exit and will take place from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.”

However, the Defence Secretary said the departure of the troops will largely depend on the success rate of the peace-keeping mission in Somalia.

“So the decision for Kenyan troops to exit Somalia depends on several factors including the progress of ATMIS mandate and prevailing security and political conditions in Somalia,” Duale said as he responded to questions in the Senate.

Kenyan forces entered Somalia in 2011 following a spate of kidnappings and attacks blamed on Al-Shabaab militants but were later integrated into the UN-backed ATMIS, then known as the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) in 2012. 

The purpose of this operation was to degrade the Al Qaeda–affiliated Al-Shabab Islamist group in Somalia who were posing a security challenge in Kenya, hence threatening Kenya’s security and national interest.

The troops remained in Somalia under ATMIS following the expiry of the Amisom mandate.