[Garissa Township parliamentary aspirant Farah Maalim. He will face tough opposition in Aden Duale in the August elections.] (Photo/KNA.)

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Garissa Township parliamentary aspirant Farah Maalim has called on the government to form an elite force that can track and pursue Al-Shabaab along the border with Somalia.

Addressing the press in Garissa town on Saturday, Maalim said the terror group has changed tact and was now planting Improvised Explosive Devices on the road sides targeting security forces patrolling the area.

Maalim who will be contesting the Garissa Township seat on a wiper ticket said that the manner in which the government was prosecuting the war on terror was ‘really wanting'.

“It is high time we think of changing tact. There is enough information that Al-Shabaab is using beast of burden like the donkeys and sometimes camels to transport IEDs and other arsenals. You cannot then use vehicles to pursue this group,” he said as KNA reports.

“It is my opinion that this force should be picked from various security agencies and mainly include those from the pastoralist communities who can move on foot and blend easily with the community,” said the former Deputy Speaker.

He reiterated that security apparatus cannot win the war on terror by harassing and beating up the rural folks, the very same people who should be providing information. 

“These rural folks do not like Al-Shabaab but unfortunately when they give information they are treated as suspects. On the other hand, the enemy is also known to execute those who give out information,” he said.

In the past 3 weeks, suspected Al-Shabaab militia have killed 20 Security officers using IEDs planted by the road side in Mandera, Garissa and Lamu counties.