The government has diversified its tactics in the war against the al Shabaab militants along the border regions.
The Ministry of Interior on Tuesday revealed that security agencies in North Eastern have increased anti-terror operations around community engagement and information sharing at the grassroots.
Regional Commissioner John Otieno said the teams are now working round the clock to raise the level and quality of intelligence received from local leaders and civilians as part of the collective efforts to forestall illegal activities along the borders.
"The patriotic elders have undertaken to work with us to defeat terrorism. We understand that they have invaluable tip-offs and crucial information on how we can beat the enemy,' he said.
Otieno was speaking after presiding over a meeting with local leaders and security teams in Wajir County.
With the radical Islamist group under crushing pressure from the Somalia side, security and intelligence committees have been conducting exhaustive reviews of government’s responses to stop the insurgents from seeking refuge in Kenya.
Otieno said more engagements have been lined up with elected leaders and the clergy as well as peace committees to find long-term solutions to the security challenges in the region.
"North Eastern Kenya deserves equal access to national development as the other regions in the country and the government has many projects and programmes in the pipeline for our people here. But without public safety and security, all these initiatives will not fall through," he said.
Otieno added that Wajir county remains among those on the front line in the war against terror due to its geography and proximity to Somalia, which is progressively intensifying its community-led offensive against the insurgents.
It was also revealed that security teams have heightened vigilance against cases of drug trafficking across the Kenya-Ethiopia border, with the spotlight fixed on some residual routes being exploited by the criminals.
