On January 15, 2019, Dusit D2 hotel in Nairobi was attacked. Al Shabab claimed responsibility of the attack. Kenyan security agencies successfully brought an end to the 19 hour siege, all the attackers were neutralized. The death toll stood at 21 and 700 people were evacuated. The security agencies were praised for the quick response and coordinated efforts. Investigations so far revealed that a Kenyan was involved in leading the attacks on January 15, 2019. Security measures have been beefed up in the country as there is a new concern on the recruitment methods of al Shabab and looking into the local role is crucial. However, a few days after the DusitD2 attack, the terror group launched an attack on Chinese Construction Company in Garissa County.
On January 28, 2018, the Prime Minister of Somalia, Hassan Ali Khaire, arrived in Nairobi for talks with President Kenyatta and was received by Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Monica Juma. The focus of the meeting was strengthening bilateral relations and the fight against al Shabab.
Monica Juma also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ahmed Awad in Mandera on January 29, 2019, to partake in matters of trade and security of the both countries. Both officials committed to cooperate in the fight al Shabab. Al Shabab’s presence is strong and remains a threat to national security. Limiting further attacks is a priority.
