Families flee Garissa ahead of crackdown on terrorists

Fear has gripped residents of Garissa Town ahead of a police operation targeting sympathisers of Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants, who have been blamed for the recent spate of killings in the town.

On Monday, some residents started fleeing areas where deadly attacks occurred recently to settlements on the outskirts of the town in fear of the impending operation.

Hundreds of policemen from the General Service Unit and the Rapid Deployment Unit, Administration and regular police have arrived in the town in readiness for the operation.

More police and administration officers have also been interdicted for allegedly helping al-Shabaab sympathisers to carry out atrocities in the country.

On Sunday, the head of Criminal Investigations Department in Garissa was sent home together with nine other government officials after being linked to al-Shabaab activities.

More officers, including police and customs officials who work at entry points on the vast Kenya-Somalia border, were also interdicted to pave the way for investigations.

Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo said several letters directing the officers to stay out of office had been written and would be delivered to them with the authority of the National Police Service Commission.

Volatile region

“Whoever is involved will go home irrespective of the rank. Investigations are going on to establish the officers who were compromised,” he said.

Internal Security permanent secretary Mutea Iringo revealed new measures aimed at improving security in the volatile region.

In a statement, the PS announced a reward of up to Sh100,000 for any person who gives information leading to the arrest of suspects.

On Sunday night, a contingent of regular and Administration police carried out a swoop that resulted in the arrest of 80 people.

Most of those arrested did not have national identity cards or any other valid identification or travel documents.

The suspects were later taken to the Garissa Law Courts and charged with being in the country illegally.

A curfew has also been imposed in the town with boda boda operators and taxi-drivers allowed to operate between 6am and 6pm.

Garissa county commissioner Mohamed Maalim said the Kenya Defence Forces had closed the Kenya-Somalia border to prevent criminal elements from fleeing to Somalia ahead of the crackdown.

“Every effort is being done to crackdown on them,” Mr Maalim said.

He further called on the residents to co-operate with security forces.

Police in full combat gear were seen patrolling the town in large numbers.

Other security measures to be undertaken include mass transfers of officers who have been stationed in the North Eastern region for a long time.

The deployment policy of the police dictates that no officer should serve in a station for more than three consecutive years.

The ongoing security mission was ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta following Thursday night’s attack at Kwa Chege Hotel in Garissa where 10 people were shot dead.