Four terror suspects arrested in South Sudan

Three Kenyans and one Somali refugee have been arrested in South Sudan while on their way to join extremist groups in Libya.

The Kenyan police said the four were arrested by South Sudanese security officers while seeking facilitation to travel to Libya to join the Islamic State (IS).

"Kenyan security agencies in liaison with their counterparts from South Sudan have foiled yet another attempt by Kenyan youths to escape the country to join militant groups in Libya," the police said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Tuesday.

According to the police, the four men were arrested over the weekend together with another group of young men who are believed to have been waiting for facilitation to travel to Libya through South Sudan.

The police said the arrest followed an intensive operation between security agents across the East African region.

"The Kenyan government working in close collaboration with their relatives facilitated their safe return into Kenya. The four have implicated a radical cartel in their recruitment and movement facilitation," said the police.

The police said the cartel is led by Mohamed Dahir, a notorious criminal who has since escaped the police dragnet.

Dahir works in cahoots with others in the infamous Magafe network based in Libya in facilitating both terrorist suspects enroute to Libya and economic immigrants.

According to the police, some of the other local human trafficking key players who are also suspected to have close links with IS in Libya have been arrested and their case is still pending in court.

"The two who include Ali Hussein Ali and Ibrahim Abasheikh are suspected to have been involved in facilitating illegal immigrants from Kenya to Libya or other destinations," said the police.

The latest arrests come against the backdrop of intensified counter terrorism and counter human trafficking efforts in the country and across the region.

Kenyan security agencies warned members of the public to be wary of phony human traffickers who dangle the lure of the so called "good life" in Europe to brainwash young people into embarking on the treacherous journey through the Sahara Desert.

The police promised a sustained crackdown on human trafficking rackets to save Kenyan youths from the stranglehold of ruthless human traffickers and terrorist recruiters.

Meanwhile, police said they are closely trailing Nicholas Karanja Mwangi alias Said Mwangi, an IS recruiter and radicalizer who is currently on the run.

"With the growing number of youths getting lured into none existent opportunities in Libya and Syria, it's only prudent for parents and guardians to be extra vigilant and to continuously monitor movements of youth under their care," said the police.

"In the case of those missing or not communicating for long periods of time, it's important for such cases to be availed to the authorities so that they may be traced by the relevant security agencies." Enditem