NAIROBI (Somaliguardian) – Ethiopia and Kenya agreed to launch a joint operation against Al-Shabaab armed group in Somalia and Shene rebels after talks held in Addis Ababa between the two countries’ police chiefs, Ethiopian state-affiliated Fana TV reported on Tuesday.
The two Horn of Africa countries will sign a memorandum of understanding for joint operations against the insurgent groups within a month.
Kenyan police boss Hillary Mutyambai said he had agreed with his Ethiopian counterpart to enhance cooperation in the exchange of information to thwart terrorism, and other cross-border crimes.
“They discussed various matters, including a joint effort in the fight against regional and transnational crime and cooperation between our two police services geared towards capacity building,” a statement from his office said.
Ethiopia and Kenya have thousands of troops in Somalia, some of whom are part of the African Union mission fighting Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab which controls large swathes of territory in the country.
It comes after Islamist insurgents have increased attacks targeting Kenyan police and military in the Northeastern and Coast regions of the country. Al-Shabaab said this week that it had killed 20 Kenyan soldiers in a roadside blast in Garissa county, a claim that has not yet been confirmed by local officials.
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