Foreigners arrested in police crackdown amid terror threats

Some 24 foreigners have been arrested in police swoops amid terror threats posed by Al-Shabaab militants and Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) members. Five men of Somali origin were arrested in Garissa, where six people were killed on Sunday by the insurgents who attacked a National Police Reservist (NPR) camp at Biyamadhow in Fafi sub-county. Four others were injured during the dawn attack when the militants stormed the camp using assorted weapons and overran it in what is believed to be a well-coordinated assault. Following the incident, police in the area stepped up surveillance, arresting the Somalis suspected of having links with terror activities. They were travelling in a Toyota Succeed car. "All the suspects were escorted to the station and handed over to the multi-agency team for further investigation and forensic analysis of their mobile phones to check any terror links," stated a police report. In Merti, Isiolo county, police seized four Ethiopians along the Gotrupa-Bulesa Road following a tip-off. Upon being interrogated, it was established that the aliens had no identification and travel documents. It was further ascertained that the suspects were in a group of about 20 male aliens. Police are pursuing those who managed to escape, vanishing into a thicket. Merti is one of the areas suspected to be a base for OLA members from Ethiopia. Early this year, police launched a crackdown against OLA accused of criminal activities in Marsabit and Isiolo counties. It is believed OLA has found a safe haven in Kenya where the outfit traffics illegal arms, narcotics, engages in human smuggling, deals in contraband goods, conducts cross-border incursions, carries out illegal mining, instigates tribal conflicts and kidnaps for ransom. OLA has its roots in neighbouring Ethiopia where it is considered to be a terrorist group. Kenya launched a crackdown against the group with hideouts in Sololo, North Horr and Merti sub counties. According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli who is leading the onslaught dubbed Operation Ondoa Jangili that started on January 3, 2025. In Nairobi following intelligence, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers on Wednesday raided a hotel in Pangani and arrested 15 Ethiopian foreigners who had no travel documents allowing them into the country. The aliens who are suspected to be victims of human trafficking were placed in custody at Pangani Police Station as officers seized Ali Ibrahim Hassan, a Kenyan believed to be behind the trafficking syndicate. National police spokesman Muchiri Nyaga said more arrests will follow since officers had firm instructions to disrupt criminal activities. "We have ongoing operations targeting people that are not legally in the country and this forms part of our mandate. In the recent past we have witnessed terror related activities in northern region where officers are on high alert, while in Marsabit and Isiolo we have been able to restore some order," said Muchiri. Ten days ago, the United States of America Embassy issued a fresh travel advisory to its citizens in Kenya. The embassy cautioned Americans against visiting or travelling to certain areas that are likely to be unsafe due to crime, civil unrest, terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. Among the areas where US citizens were warned not to travel include Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Tana River counties as well as parts of Malindi due to terrorism and kidnapping threats.

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