Kerry will meet with the presidents of Kenya and Nigeria before traveling to Saudi Arabia [Xinhua]
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Kenya today to discuss Washington’s aid to African countries battling Somalia’s Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Shabaab.
Despite joint efforts by the African Union forces and UN blue helmets overseeing security in the Somali capital Mogadishu, Al-Shabaab have still been able to mount deadly attacks against diplomats, international forces, and members of the Western-backed government.
On July 26, two Al-Shabaab suicide car bombers blew themselves up killing at least 12 people outside a UN building in Mogadishu.
They had tried to breach the security compound wall housing UN and African Union peacekeepers near the airport, but were stopped at a checkpoint on the road leading to the base.
Al-Shabaab has also launched deadly attacks in Kenya against those who support the Western-backed government in Somalia.
Kerry is expected to discuss Somalia’s stability with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, particularly as the war-torn nation faces parliamentary and presidential elections in the coming weeks.
He will also examine with Kenyatta international and African efforts to end the civil war in South Sudan.
On Tuesday, Kerry arrives in the Nigerian capital Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari about regional efforts to defeat the locally grown Boko Haram terrorist group.
Like Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram has lost territory but retained its ability to launch deadly attacks in Nigeria and neighboring countries.
The US has along with its allies provided military and technical assistance to those countries fighting Boko Haram.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
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