President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalia counterpart Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Thursday agreed to work together in a bid to mend strained relations.
The two leaders reportedly had a phone conversation and agreed to appoint committees to look into several matters affecting the two countries border security being key.
This comes a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta warned Somalia to desist from “provoking Kenya by violating her territorial integrity.”
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the President called on the neighbouring country to resolve its internal political disputes and to stop using Kenya as its scapegoat.
The statement followed a special session of the National Security Council (NSC) that was chaired by the President.
Read: Uhuru Sends Stern Warning To Somalia Following Mandera, Bulla Hawa Clashes
Top on the agenda was violations of Kenya’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by the Somalia National Army on Monday, March 2, 2020.
The Somalia troops exchanged heavy fire with Jubaland forces in Bulla Hawa in the border of Mandera town.
“The foreign soldiers in flagrant breach and total disregard of international laws and conventions engaged in aggressive and belligerent activities by harassing and destroying properties of Kenyan citizens living in the border town of Mandera, ” the statement by State House Spokesperson read in part.
The Monday attack exchange was reported to have jammed Safaricom communication masts located in Mandera.
Read Also: Somalia Army Jams Safaricom Mast in Mandera During Fire Exchange with Jubbaland Forces
According to Intelligence briefs, the masts located near the border served residents of the region, including those located in Somalia and Jubaland.
“The jamming of the Safaricom masts was to facilitate the orchestrating of an attack against Jubaland Security Forces (JSF) who late last week re-deployed to the area after they tactically withdrawing earlier in the year, ” a note released after the incident read.
Sources revealed that while Jubaland Security Forces (JSF) is praised as being a key partner in the fight against Al-Qaeda in Somalia, the Somalia National Army (SNA) is now blamed for enabling the activities of terror units in the country.
SNA activities, sources say, amount to a declaration of war in the region even as the country is fighting allegations of using Kenyan MPs to fight the country.
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