Nairobi, July 09: Veteran insurgents from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have relocated to the chaotic country of Somalia in large enough numbers to spark worry inside the international community, Kenya’s foreign minister said today.
Calling the situation in Somalia “very, very dire,” Moses M Wetangula said the militants have relocated to Kenya’s northern neighbour because of the safehaven offered by a country with no functioning government.
“There have been Afghans, there have been Pakistanis, there have been certain Middle Eastern nationalities, quite a number. Intelligence reports indicate that there’s quite a cocktail of them,” Wetangula told The Associated Press.
“We can’t quite quantify them. It’s simply not possible in a situation such as that, but there are sufficient numbers to worry us and worry the international community,” he said.
Somali government spokesman Abdulkadir Walayo did not immediately answer calls seeking comment.
–PTI