According to reports, many street children from Mombasa have been traced as they made their way across the border into Somalia.
Mombasa security officials released the startling report about al-Shabaab’s newest recruiting tactic on Friday, October 30.
Police officials believe that the young boys may be prime targets for recruitment to the terrorist organisation as their disappearances often times go unreported.
Joining the al-Shabaab may be particularly enticing as the militant organisation promises large cash rewards to new recruits.
Nelson Marwa, the Mombasa County Commissioner said of the recruitment situation toThe Standard: “Street children are easy to lure with little money and since they live on the streets, they are not easy to monitor,”
It remains unclear how many boys have been enticed by the al-Shabaab to join the terrorist group.
The al-Shabaab have been a frequent threat to Kenya within recent years. They are often known to target young people.
The city of Mombasa is widely regarded to be one of the group’s principal recruiting grounds.
Universities in Kenya have also become known as a hotbed of recruitment. Four students from Moi University Main Campus are suspected to have joined the al- Shabaab, with details of their location proving difficult to pin down.
The al-Shabaab gained international notoriety in recent years following a series of high profile attacks within Kenya. On Saturday, September 21, 2015 the group launched an attack against the Westgate mall in Nairobi. At least 67 people were killed when heavily armed militants from the group stormed the mall.
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