MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Nearly a month after secretly visiting the port town of Kismayo, the director-general of the Kenyan National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, has made another visit to Mogadishu, where he met with the Director of the Somalia National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Mahad Salad.
The meeting took place on Friday, and according to local media, discussions centered on enhancing the exchange of vital information and addressing the persistent threat of insurgency in the region.
The arrival of Noordin Haji in Mogadishu sparked heightened security measures, resulting in the temporary blockage of roads leading to the capital. Haji’s visit, shrouded in secrecy until now, highlights the importance of this diplomatic rendezvous between the intelligence agencies of Kenya and Somalia.
The key focus of the discussion between Haji and Salad was the urgency of bolstering intelligence cooperation between their respective agencies.
Both directors emphasized the necessity of sharing information to effectively combat the ongoing insurgency in the Horn of Africa, particularly the threat posed by the extremist group Al-Shabaab, according to sources privy to the matter.
Recent developments in Kenya’s intelligence efforts have resulted in the arrest of a Somali businessman responsible for supplying Al-Shabaab with military equipment and explosive devices in Mombasa.
It is believed that Haji’s visit to Kismayo last month was intended to solidify Kenya’s relationship with Jubbaland, a region in Somalia.
Kenyan troops are stationed in Jubbaland, and concerns have been raised about the withdrawal of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), in which Kenya plays a vital role.
Mohamud Sayid Adan, the Vice President of Jubbaland, expressed his worries about the hasty decision to withdraw ATMIS forces, stressing that it could have severe implications for the region’s security.
But Kenyan President William Ruto insisted, during an interview with France24 television, that Kenyan forces would remain in Somalia.
Ruto emphasized the commitment of the Kenyan military in supporting stability and security in the country, underscoring his concerns on the increased threats posed by Al-Shabaab.
Kenya has decided to postpone the reopening of its border with Somalia, which was initially announced in May. The delay comes in light of the continuous violence perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, the extremist group responsible for a surge in deadly attacks within Kenya.