Kenya's border with Somalia will re-open in April almost 15 years after it shut because of attacks by Islamist militant group al-Shabab, President William Ruto has announced. Based in Somalia, the group has masterminded a series of deadly assaults in Kenya including one on a shopping centre in the capital, Nairobi, killing 67 people in 2013, and one at a university in Garissa two years later, killing 148. The plan has been announced before, in 2023, but further attacks postponed the arrangements. Ruto stated that the intention to reopen two crossings comes after extensive security assessments and there will be a heavy deployment of security forces to ensure the move does not compromise safety. Additionally, Kenya has been concerned about illicit weapons and other contraband goods being smuggled across the border. The President announced the plan during a visit to the border town of Mandera, which has a large population of ethnic Somalis. He urged the community to join efforts against al-Shabab, labeling the group as 'useless' and expressing the need for local support in combating terrorism. In light of the past attacks and security threats, this reopening aims to foster cross-border trade and enhance ties between communities once separated.