NAIROBI, April 27, 2006 – Kenya has deported 17 Somali recruits who were unfit to complete their police training at a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) camp, officials confirmed here Wednesday.

A KWS spokesperson Connie Maina said 11 of them were suffering from old war wounds and the others found the training course too strenuous.

"Eleven of those affected were declared unfit to continue with the course while six voluntarily gave up training, saying it was too strenuous," said Maina.

The recruits, who arrived in the Somali provincial town of Baidoa, about 240 km southwest of Mogadishu on Tuesday, were among 200 former militia fighters selected to pioneer a new police force for the war-torn country.

Maina`s comments were echoed by an official at the Somali Liaison Office in Nairobi who said the 17 militias were unfit to take part in the training.

"They were found to be unfit for training and were returned back. This is a small issue and will not affect the ongoing training," an official who sought anonymity said by telephone.

Sources cited conflicting reports about why the recruits were expelled, with some suggestions that it was because of indiscipline after a fight.

Source: Angola Press

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