By Horn Africa News
Kenya’s Defence Forces Commander, General Charles Kahariri, has sharply criticized the African Union’s decision to scale back its military presence in Somalia, warning that the move risks reversing fragile security gains against Al-Shabaab.
Speaking after talks in Mogadishu with General Michael Langley, head of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Kahariri said the troop drawdown has created a “dangerous security vacuum” that Al-Shabaab is already exploiting to regroup and escalate attacks.
“Several countries, including Kenya, stepped in under interim agreements to cover the gap, but this is not sustainable without renewed international support,” Kahariri cautioned.
The AU transition plan is gradually reducing forces from 22,000 to 11,000 under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which replaced the former mission AUSSOM.
General Langley, while acknowledging the concerns, commended Kenya’s frontline role in regional peacekeeping, describing its forces as “indispensable to stability in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.”
Kahariri’s remarks underscore growing unease among regional partners that a premature drawdown could embolden militants and jeopardize Somalia’s long-term peace and political transition.
