Combating Al-Shabaab: Kenya and Ethiopia gets US hardware
The militaries of Kenya and Ethiopia has been gifted several US armored vehicles and equipment respectively to enhance it’s fight against Al-Shabaab.
Ethiopia on 29 September received $2.9 million worth of training and equipment to the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) to support it’s fight against violent extremism.
The equipment donated includes Toyota Land Cruisers, troop transports, ambulances, cargo and fuel trucks, water trailers, operations centre computers, and night vision devices. A photo showed nine Iveco trucks and 12 Land Cruisers being handed over.
“This donation is just one way the US government supports Ethiopian partner forces in their fight against terrorism,” the US Embassy said. “The United States and Ethiopia have developed a long-standing partnership that includes military training exercises and a spectrum of activities to support peacekeeping and counterterrorism objectives.”
The United States and Ethiopia have developed a long-standing partnership that includes military training exercises and a spectrum of activities to support peacekeeping and counterterrorism objectives.
Meanwhile, on 17 September, the United States donated 23 vehicles to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), including 15 Mack trucks and eight up-armoured Humvees. They were handed over by US military representatives to the KDF in Nairobi.
KDF Commander of the Western Command Major General Joseph Kivunzi was on-hand to receive the vehicles.
According to a report released by the US Congressional Research Service in January, Kenya has received $400 million in military equipment and counter-terrorism training support over the last 10 years.
In 2018, the US government gave the KDF 12 Bastion Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) to improve border surveillance.
The KDF has also various assistance packages including bomb detection and disposal in addition to advanced counter-terror training from the United Kingdom.
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