Security at border up as Somali Islamists advance

Kenya has deployed additional security officers on its border with Somalia to prevent the entry of rebels fleeing fighting in the war-torn country.

Rebels of the Hizbul Islam group have been fleeing Somalia after their al Shabaab rivals captured the border town of Dhobley and Gedo region.

Thousands of Somali refugees have been crossing into Kenya to escape fighting between two previously friendly Islamist groups that have been seeking to dislodge the Transitional Federal Government.

Hisbul Islam and al Shabaab have been fighting against the UN backed Transitional Federal Government and African Union Peace Keepers but recently fell out.

The Police Commissioner, Mr Mathew Iteere, yesterday said he had talked to the Army Commander and asked for support from the military after the Somalia border towns were captured by al Shabaab.

Interrogated

Kenyans security forces intercepted and are detaining nine Hisbul Islam fighters who had crossed into Kenya.

The nine were being interrogated before being handed over to UNHCR if found not to be a security threat to Kenya.

“The nine were intercepted in Mpeketoni in Lamu. These are not terrorists but Hisbul Islam fighters who were escaping fighting in their country... We are secure,” Mr Iteere said.

Al Shabaab fighters have been taking over towns near the border with Kenya from Kismayo, Bulo Haji, Qoqani, Dhobley, Afmadhow, Bula Hawa, Beledweyn and much of Gedo region since October 1 when they fell out with Hisbul Islam over the control of Kismayu port.

Sheikh Hassan Abdulahi Hersi popularly known as ‘Turki’ the founder of the Raskamboni group allied to Hisbul Islam has fled Dhobley and is said to be in the strategic Gudha area.

Documents

On Tuesday, Kenyan police arrested 40 people among them some Islamist fighters in Mwingi who were travelling to Nairobi without documents.
They were returned to Garissa and handed over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

UNHCR communications director Emannuel Nyabera on Thursday said that the organisation and Kenya have an arrangement to assist people escaping from fighting in Somalia.

“I am not aware of the particular case but we have an arrangement with the Kenyan government to process any asylum seekers escaping from their countries,” he said.