A small contingent of soldiers from the Somali army’s Danab Brigade is taking part in exercise Justified Accord in Kenya. Led by the U.S., the multinational exercise got underway Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Facebook/Somali National Army Radio)
The U.S. Army on Monday launched a series of military drills in Kenya, where an elite contingent of Somali soldiers will join a multinational exercise in their first mission abroad, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement the same day.
Somalis from the Danab unit, also known as the Lightning Brigade, are joining about 1,000 troops from 22 other countries for the annual Justified Accord exercise.
Several U.S. Army deployed units are taking part in Justified Accord, including soldiers from the Massachusetts National Guard and the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade.
Both the U.S. and Kenya have a shared interest in regional stability, and the exercise also will address real threats, said Lt. Col. Jason Porter, deputy chief of exercises at Southern European Task Force, Africa headquarters, which is leading the drill.
The exercise is also aimed at helping U.S. partners prepare for a range of contingencies, including humanitarian assistance operations, disasters and crisis response.
“Part of (Justified Accord) is making sure we’re building readiness,” Porter said in an interview ahead of the exercise.
Instability in Somalia has rippled into Kenya over the years, resulting in numerous high-profile attacks. In 2020, one U.S. soldier and two American contractors were killed when their base at Manda Bay, Kenya, came under attack by al-Shabab militants.
And in 2013, the militant group besieged a shopping mall in Nairobi, the capital, in an attack that involved grenades and small-arms fire, resulting in 67 deaths.
The inclusion of the Danab soldiers means the event will incorporate members of a unit integral to Somalia’s strategy for countering al-Shabab.
Building up the Danab also has been a focal point for AFRICOM and its special operations teams, which have been advising the commandos inside Somalia for many years.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Danab Brigade and other Somali security forces,” AFRICOM said.
Despite international efforts to help Somalia neutralize al-Shabab, the terrorist group has proved resilient during its nearly 20-year existence.
In 2023, Somalia experienced a 22% increase in fatalities stemming from Islamic militant violence, reaching a record high of 7,643, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
The drill runs through March 7. It is the U.S. military’s largest exercise in East Africa.
Stars and Stripes reporter John Vandiver contributed to this report.
