Community Elders Sent to Somalia to Negotiate the Release of 5 Abducted Chiefs
Al Shabaab
A multi-agency team led by community elders has been dispatched by Kenya to neighboring Somalia to initiate negotiations for the release of five abducted chiefs.
While evaluating the security situation in Mandera County ahead of President William Ruto’s visit to the area, five chiefs were kidnapped on Monday.
Intelligence reports suggest that after the chiefs were abducted, they were transported to Somalia and are now being held by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Al-Shabaab cells located in Jilib, Somalia. Here is the venue for the negotiations.
At home, intelligence officials are redirecting their attention to the towns of Wante, Qurqura, Elele, Ires Kinto, Fino, and Kutayu, where they suspect the militants were hiding prior to the abduction of local administrators.
Concerns exist that certain militants could be concealed in these regions, planning to initiate an assault.
The chiefs were on official duty traveling to the Elwak area for a meeting to prepare for President Ruto’s week-long tour of the North Eastern region when they were intercepted by kidnappers, who drove their vehicle toward Somalia.
The chiefs who are absent include Mohammed Adawa, Mohammed Hassan Kulmia, Abdi Hassan Suraw, Mohammed Noor Hache, and assistant chief Ibrahim Gabow.
