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along with the weapons led to reports that civilians had difficulty in distinguishing militia fighters from police in the area. The group was considered well trained due to a number of former police and military officers having been linked in secretly training SLDF fighters in the Mount Elgon forests. Indeed, the second in command, David Sichei was a former police officer and the level of coordination and language used in attacks alluded to some formal training by former security services personnel.
121:. They were allegedly led by a former bodyguard to the President, who was killed by security forces. Wycliffe Matakwei Kirui Komon was the deputy commander and assumed leadership of the militia at its peak; he claimed to command 35,000 soldiers and scouts. Unusual for groups in the area, they wore jungle camouflage uniforms and had access to ammunition – although
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35,000 men under his command but
Western Kenya Human Rights watch estimated 3,000 fighters with 30 cells of approximately 100 men each. Majority of the SLDF lived alongside civilians when not engaged in combat except the militia's leadership, trainers and specialized fighters who were permanently based in forests near the border with Uganda.
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The government initially treated the SLDF as common criminals, but begun to treat them as an organised militia. An amnesty offered the equivalent of $ 265 to fighters surrendering their weapons, but no weapons were surrendered. Security forces found it difficult to gain information on the group, due
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The group had access to a variety of weapons uncommon for criminal groups in Kenya including machine guns, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades along with the usual AK-47s and G3 rifles. Notably the group also had access to jungle combat fatigues commonly seen with the Kenya Police and this
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Commentators attributed the outbreaks of violence and rise of the militias to several factors: conflict over scarce land resources, widespread unemployment among young men, and a fast-growing population (50% of the Kenyan population is aged below 16). In local tradition it had been considered good
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A large scale military assault in March 2008 resulted in allegations of serious human rights abuses by the Kenya Army, including murder, torture, rape, and arbitrary detention. By July 2008 fighting had substantially declined with the SLDF having been virtually destroyed in a number of offensive
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ISS described the group as having "a clear organizational structure and chain of command" with a political and spiritual wing along with the main military arm. The overall leader of the group was
Wycliffe Matakwei with the second in command being David Sichei. The group's leader claimed to have
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Between 2006 and 2008 the SLDF virtually controlled Mount Elgon region and had established its administration with informal courts and taxation for residents. Taxation was particularly harshly enforced on civil servants with severe repercussions for those who failed to pay levies.
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and other guns are easily accessible from bordering nations such as
Somalia, costing around $ 130 while ammunition is more difficult to acquire. The SLDF was funded by unofficial "taxation" of the local residents, and had implemented a parallel administration system.
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since 2005. It has been accused of killing more than 600 people, and of committing a variety of atrocities including murder, torture, rape, and the theft and destruction of property. More than 66,000 people had been displaced in an 18-month period.
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138:. This has resulted in a fast-growing population which is stressing agricultural resources. Tensions between different ethnic groups were also manifested in the
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to intimidation and the threat of violence towards the families of those who might come forward with information.
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191:: a Kikuyu-affiliated - criminal militia group operating in urban areas of Kenya.
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operations particularly around the
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https://transferwise.com/gb/currency-converter/ugx-to-gbp-rate?amount=10000
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178:, the leader of SLDF was killed by the Kenyan army on 16 May 2008.
346:"George Bush's Aids relief plan is undermined by morality clauses"
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for a man to have as many children as possible, and international
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219:"Kenya: Army and Rebel Militia Commit War Crimes in Mt. Elgon"
262:"Kenyan Troops Struck at Militia Involved in Land Clashes"
325:
Amos
Kareithi & Isaiah Lucheli (10 April 2007).
309:"Unreported World – 10/10 – Kenya's Human Time Bomb"
365:"Abortion battle shifts to aid for family planning"
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392:"Kenya: Armed and dangerous – Kenya"
105:The group drew its members from the
418:"Kenya MPs try to fast-track bills"
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221:. Human Rights Watch. 3 April 2007.
109:people, who are a sub-tribe of the
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363:Robin Toner (5 February 1986).
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239:"Kenyan militia strike back"
443:Droves of militia surrender
311:. Channel 4. 22 April 2008.
280:"Q&A: Kenya peace deal"
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282:. BBC News. 13 April 2008
86:Sabaot Land Defence Force
30:Sabaot Land Defence Force
176:Wycliffe Matwakei Komol
140:2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
39:Wycliffe Matwakei Komol
23:Mount Elgon insurgency
468:Rebel groups in Kenya
16:Kenyan militant group
473:Mount Elgon District
115:Rift Valley Province
90:Mount Elgon District
69:Mount Elgon District
448:28 May 2008 at the
266:The Washington Post
163:Government response
65:Active regions
369:The New York Times
46:Dates of operation
381:ISS 2010, 169-171
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50:2005 - 2008
462:Categories
241:. BBC News
202:References
424:4 January
286:4 January
245:4 January
146:Structure
446:Archived
182:See also
111:Kalenjin
101:Overview
189:Mungiki
55:Country
119:Uganda
107:Sabaot
35:Leader
197:(MRC)
123:AK47s
94:Kenya
59:Kenya
426:2010
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187:The
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