KDF troops begin return from South Sudan

The first batch of 100 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers arrived in the country from Juba yesterday.

The soldiers arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport aboard an Ocean Airlines plane.

They were part of troops seconded to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) deployed to the Wau region. The soldiers were received by KDF's Eastern Command head Maj Gen Benjamin Biwott. Military spokesman Lt Col Paul Njuguna was also present.

Maj Gen Biwott said the withdrawal followed an order from President Uhuru Kenyatta who is the Commander in Chief of the KDF.

Kenya took the decision following the sacking of Lt General Johnson Ondieki as the UNMISS force commander by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

"We are happy and committed to serve in the missions. We have been serving in the peace-keeping missions in 24 countries since 1979," said Biwott.

He said they would withdraw all of the more than 1,000 troops from South Sudan as soon as possible and when the UN provides the necessary logistics.

On arrival at JKIA, the troops were debriefed before they could be redeployed to their original stations.

Kenya has 995 soldiers deployed in Wau, 166 in Aweil and 304 in Kuajok, which are all violence hot spots in South Sudan.

There are 30 staff officers and 12 military observers in the three key areas.

Announcing the withdrawal last week, President Kenyatta said the country would not contribute to a mission that had failed in its mandate and which had now resorted to looking for scapegoats.