Al Shabaab’s intensified attacks in the Coastal and Northern Kenya regions have forced Kenya security forces to start engaging communities and schools in those areas as they seek to neutralize the terrorist group’s local support.
Documented evidence has shown that Al Shabaab is able to successfully operate in these two regions because of the community support, which also makes it easier for it to recruit vulnerable youth.
Now, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service, National Intelligence Service (NIS) and National Counter-Terrorism Centre have started holding a series of counter-terrorism and a security awareness talks, the latest which was held at Monday, 17th February 2020 at Mambrui Educational Hall in Kilifi County.
KDF said in a statement that the talks are meant to enlighten on the roles and responsibilities of various security agencies in ensuring peace and stability to help build confidence towards nationhood and patriotism.
“The talks seek to inculcate an understanding that security agencies and the community are one family in the fight against radical thinking of the Al Shabaab.
“The region [Coast] has been characterized with radical extremism and such talks aim at bridging the gap that has previously been hijacked by the Al Shabaab to spread their ideology among locals,” KDF noted.
In counties of Garissa and Wajir for instance, intensified activities of the Al Shabaab have forced non-indigenous teachers to abandon work, creating a learning crisis.
The teachers, a soft target for the terrorist group have declined to return to work, saying the local communities must first end their support for the terrorist group.
The multi-agency team cautioned the youth against extremist groups such as Al Shabaab and encouraged them to work with their leaders in security and developmental projects in the region.
How Al Shabaab recruits
The talks touch on cybersecurity, highlighting the platform’s notorious avenues for recruitment and radicalization by the Al Shabaab, and advising the youth to be watchful when interacting online.
The program is targeting youths in vulnerable institutions through the delivery of lectures on good citizenry, patriotism and misconception of jihad among others.
This, KDF said, is meant to enable them to reclaim their place in society and help the agencies fight the Al Shabaab as a team.
The idea is to sensitize the students and the community on Al Shabaab and the reality of the group’s threat so as to demystify the ideology behind its operations.
Besides high school students, like the recent one at the Moi Forces Academy in Nairobi, the project has previously targeted madrasas in Nairobi and Mombasa, the latest being Holistic Educational Trust Madrassa in Shanzu, Mombasa.
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