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British soldiers return from Kenya training delayed British troops return from Kenya after diplomatic delays
(6 days later)
A delay in an agreement between the UK and Kenya over British army training in the country has left 900 troops uncertain of when they can return home. UK troops posted to Kenya are returning home after diplomatic wrangling over British army training in the country was resolved.
The British High Commission in Nairobi says talks to extend a memorandum of understanding for the UK's use of the Nanyuki training area are continuing. The 900 troops were waiting to return home after completing their training because of delays over clearance for the officers who will replace them.
The MoD said it was making arrangements to fly the troops back to the UK using commercial carriers. The hold-up was reportedly Nairobi's response to new UK travel warnings for Britons travelling to Kenya.
Six battalions train each year at Nanyuki, 125 miles north of Nairobi. The Ministry of Defence said UK troops would continue to train in Kenya.
The current memorandum of understanding between the two countries expires next year.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The UK has a longstanding, mutually beneficial, defence relationship with Kenya and we hope that the delay in receipt of diplomatic clearances from the Kenyan authorities will be resolved shortly."
The MoD also said the soldiers in Kenya - 3rd Battalion, The Rifles - would usually be sent back to the UK on the same charter aircraft that would carry the incoming troops, the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment.
Because of the delay, arrangements are now being made to fly the troops out of Nairobi on commercial flights. The first soldiers to leave flew out on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the British High Commission in Nairobi has denied a story in Kenya's Standard Newspaper that Kenya has demanded the UK first withdraws travel advisories about Kenya, before allowing in the new contingent of British soldiers for training.
The Foreign Office has previously issued a "high threat" from terrorists advisory for parts of Kenya.The Foreign Office has previously issued a "high threat" from terrorists advisory for parts of Kenya.
The main threat has been linked to the militant Islamist group al-Shabab and resulted in 400 UK tourists being evacuated from parts of the Kenyan coast in May. 'Successful outcome'
Tour operators Thomson and First Choice have cancelled all flights to Mombasa until October The two countries are in talks over a new Memorandum of Understanding on military co-operation between them. The current memorandum expires in April 2015.
"The delay in receipt of diplomatic clearances from the Kenyan authorities has now been resolved, and further UK training in Kenya will proceed", an MoD spokesman said.
"Troops who have completed training are returning to the UK."
Most of the soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles have already arrived, and they all will have left Kenya by 4 July, the spokesman added.
They had been unable to return home because they would usually fly on the same charter aircraft that would carry the incoming troops.
But because of the delay in clearances, the MoD used commercial services to fly them back to the UK.
Earlier, Kenya's Standard Newspaper reported that five "senior military officers" had been expelled from the UK during the diplomatic row between the countries.
The MoD said some Kenyan Canine Regiment officers had "returned home recently during a break in training" and that their training would resume next week.
The military agreement between the two countries governs the UK's use of the Nanyuki training area, 125 miles north of Nairobi.
The MoD said it was confident of a "successful and rapid outcome" in the negotiations.
Warnings that UK nationals should avoid Kenya because of potential threats the militant Islamist group al-Shabab resulted in 400 UK tourists being evacuated from parts of the Kenyan coast in May.
Tour operators Thomson and First Choice cancelled all flights to Mombasa until October.