Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, has warned that the recent reduction of African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops risks undoing gains against Al-Shabaab, urging stronger international backing for Somalia’s peace process.

• General Kahariri held bilateral talks with US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander General Michael Langley in Stuttgart, Germany, on August 14.
• The drawdown of AUSSOM troops, which launched in January 2025, creates a security gap threatening the stability of Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
• The commanders released the inaugural Joint Communiqué from the African Chiefs of Defence Conference (ACHOD), based on priorities from ACHOD 2025 in Nairobi agreed upon by 38 African delegations.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is considering increasing troop deployment along the Kenya–Ethiopia border in Turkana County to address insecurity. This decision comes after a meeting between Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and Turkana North MP Ekwom Nabuim, following a fatal attack on Kenyan fishermen in February.

• Up to 40 Kenyan fishermen went missing in February after an attack by suspected Ethiopian militiamen from the Dassanech tribe in the Todonyang border area.
• Key organizations involved include the Ministry of Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
• Plans include intensifying patrols, increasing KDF presence, and establishing new barracks and forward operating bases (FOBs) to deter future cross-border raids.

Kenya's Chief of the Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri met with Commander of the United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) General Michael Langley in Stuttgart, Germany on Thursday, August 14 to discuss enhancing the strategic defense partnership between their nations.

• The meeting underscored the enduring strategic partnership between Kenya and the US in advancing peace and stability in Africa.
• General Langley commended the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) for their contributions to peace support operations in Somalia and their pivotal role in regional security.
• General Kahariri expressed concern over the recent drawdown of troops under the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), warning it could undermine progress and stressing the unsustainability of temporary bilateral arrangements without enhanced international backing.
• The military chiefs agreed to expand security partnerships, inspire innovation against emerging threats, and professionalize military forces within Africa through enhanced multiagency operations and reinforcing civil-military relations.