Britain has cancelled one of its annual military trainings in Kenya after failing to obtain a licence from the government, its defence ministry said on Thursday.ย
Kenya hosts a permanent base for the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Laikipia, about 200 kilometres (130 miles) north of Nairobi.
The east African nation became independent from Britain in 1963 but ties remain strong and their defence agreement allows for several thousand British troops to carry out exercises on Kenyan soil each year.
“Itย isย withย regretย thatย theย necessaryย licencesย requiredย toย allowย trainingย toย takeย placeย inย Laikipiaย laterย thisย yearย haveย notย beenย forthcoming,”ย theย Britishย ministryย ofย defenceย saidย inย aย statement.ย
Theย trainingย hasย beenย relocatedย toย anotherย country,ย itย added,ย withoutย disclosingย theย newย location.
ยฉThe ministry did not reveal the reasons behind the failure to obtain the licence, while the Kenyan government did not respond to AFP queries on the matt๐r.
Theย relocation,ย however,ย doesย notย affectย theย broaderย defenceย partnershipย betweenย theย twoย countries,ย theย ministryย said.
The base has been a source of controversy over the years, however, thanks to high-profile murder and rape cases involving British soldiers.
ยฉ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ.๐๐จ๐ฆ /๐๐๐๐ข๐จ/ ๐๐
