Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda terror wings clipped–Defence expert

East Africans no longer have to lose sleep over terrorists, thanks to continuing efforts which have significantly degraded terrorists’ operational capability.This was highlighted in Kigali yesterday, as defence experts from the East African Community (EAC) began a week-long session whose agenda includes reviewing efficient and shared counter terrorism “standing operating procedures” that will then be issued to the bloc’s five defence forces.The five are working on standing operating procedures – measures that will make them react together by adopting a common approach– thereby enabling them to work efficiently and faster. Brig. Francis Murgor, a Kenyan defence expert, told reporters that the threat of the Islamist Al-Shabaab and Al Qaeda was diminishing. “Their threat is being slowly degraded by, one, the operation by Kenya, and two, by the AMISOM mission which has really cleared most of their areas in Mogadishu.”AMISOM is the United Nations Mission in Somalia that is mainly composed of troops from Uganda and Burundi.“I am certain that whatever is left in Mogadishu are just remnants of the Al-Shabaab. We think that very soon, they will be completely degraded. Not finished, because as you know, terrorism is something that you have to use social means, in order to overcome”.Murgor’s optimism as well comes from the global counter terrorism perspective.According to the official, the killing last year of the head and founder of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, dealt a major blow to the terror group which was followed by the tracking and killing of other commanders.Last year, American Special Forces located and killed Bin Laden, at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Last Thursday, Badar Mansoor, another senior al-Qaeda militant believed to be the head of al-Qaeda in Pakistan, was reportedly killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan.“Most of the leadership has been brought down. Right now, we know they will remain a threat to international peace; however, anybody operating from a known territory, as in a foreign country, really is disadvantaged,” he said.“If we are able to prevent foreign fighters from entering into Somalia, then it is one way of actually minimising the threat of Al Qaeda”.The meeting in Kigali will discuss three topics; reviewing the standing operating procedures for joint exercises on disaster management; examining counter terrorism and on peace support operations.They will also discuss the development of procedures for countering piracy along the EAC coast. “As you are aware, the region has been affected by piracy in the Indian Ocean. So, this particular session will develop the draft which will be forwarded for adoption by the council of ministers,” said Murgor.

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Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda terror wings clipped–Defence expert