One dead, 11 injured in Mandera clashes

One person is believed to have died while 11 others are being treated for gunshot wounds at the Mandera County Hospital following Monday’s confrontation between the Federal Government of Somalia Army and Jubaland forces.

The clashes at the main border happened as the Somali troops pressed for the release of Jubaland minister Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur alias Abdirashid Janan, who is said to be in Mandera.

Janan reportedly arrived in Mandera on January 30 and was booked into a local hotel after he escaped from a Mogadishu prison where he had been held since August 31, 2019.

Communication was cut in Mandera town for the better part of Monday because of the clashes in Bula Hawa town, located a few kilometres from Kenya.

Social media

Mandera Governor Ali Roba yesterday took to social media to voice his concerns over the situation.

“The situation in Mandera is deteriorating by the day with more build-up of foreign forces of Jubaland within Mandera town and serious build-up of Federal Government of Somalia forces in Bula Hawo. The government must move with speed to manage the situation to avoid more loss of lives,” he said.

He then went ahead to share a video on the platform showing a military vehicle with armed personnel which he said were patrolling the streets of Mandera.

Senior counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi tweeted his support for the governor urging him to move to the High Court.

Roba, in a follow up tweet, shared a memo indicating Mandera Law Courts will be closed due to insecurity.

Some schools in the area have closed down due to the current situation.

Early this week, Kenya told Federal Government of Somalia to cease unwarranted provocations.

President Uhuru Kenyatta chaired a special session of the National Security Council (NSC) to discuss the onslaught on Kenya’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by Somalia.

NSC is the highest security organ and the session was the first one this year.