Nairobi(Mogadishu24)-Kenya’s security agencies and the Eastleigh business community held meetings on Monday to discuss cooperation aimed at strengthening the security of the Eastleigh markets and its surrounding neighbourhoods.

Omar Ibrahim Hussein, the Secretary of the Eastleigh business community, told reporters that this meeting focused on enhancing the working relationship between the Eastleigh communities and the security agencies.

“We had a meeting between the Eastleigh Business Community and the security agencies to discuss how we can cooperate on security issues, particularly in light of the growing concerns related to conflicts in the Middle East,” said Mr. Omar Ibrahim, Secretary of the Eastleigh Business Community.

The secretary added that there has been an ongoing collaboration between the government and the public in combating insecurity within Eastleigh. He encouraged the public to report any security concerns or suspicions to prevent potential issues.

“While there have been no specific reports from security authorities labelling Eastleigh as a conflict hotspot, they called for this meeting to discuss potential security threats arising from conflicts in the Middle East, given the concerns that have been raised,” he continued.

“There has been an existing working relationship between the public and the security agencies, and we continue to urge the public to share any information that may pose security threats,” he added.

The meeting comes at a time when there have been discussions about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Kenya linked to the Middle East conflict. Eastleigh is greatly invested by all Somalis and it is sometimes called Bakara, the second, biggest market in Mogadishu, Somalia as well as in the region.

The US Embassy in Nairobi recently issued warnings to US citizens in Kenya, advising them to avoid crowded places.

Al-Shabaab has conducted several attacks in Kenya, particularly in villages along Boni Forest, such as Juhudi, Salama, and Withu villages in Lamu, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Kenyan security forces and civilians.

The Kenyan government has implemented crucial measures to reduce attacks, including identifying and capturing those who provide information, transportation, and supplies for Al-Shabaab militants, as well as establishing a 42KM cutline between Boni Forest and residential areas.

Kenya is one of the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troop-contributing countries and has actively engaged in the fight against the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization, which has become a threat not only to Somalia but also to Kenya.