Emerging details indicate that Al-Shabab militants are behind recent destruction of Kenyan communication masts along the Kenya-Somalia border.
A confidential security report indicates that the terror group has been deployed by one of Somalia's telecommunications company to do the job, as the telco seeks to dominate the area along the border.
It says that the terrorists have been receiving up to Sh300 million for the job which they use to fund their operations, as the telco also seeks to dominate 50 kilometres into Kenyan territory.
The report indicates that Al-Shabab is also using the opportunity to further deepen its claws into North Eastern Kenya, as well as Somalia and is maximizing on the union to advance its agenda.
"Additionally, the attacks on the masts by al-Shabaab are part of a plot to ensure that the group advances its terrorist agenda. The terror group is trying to establish a pseudo-caliphate in north-eastern Kenya and Somalia,” reads part of the report quoted by Daily Nation.
This year alone, about 8 masts have been destroyed, including one belonging to giant telecommunications company Safaricom, leaving security personnel in a blackout.
Though initially there had not been established any links between Al-Shabab and the company, it now emerges that their transactions began in 2016 after Al-Shabab shut down the company's antennas in Southern Somalia.
“The revelations cast serious questions on the operations of the telco. Its support for the terror group, which has killed thousands of civilians and mutilated countless others, is appalling,” further reads the report.
Kenya is among African counties which have sent in their forces under the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in a bid to suppress the terror group.