Terrorism in Dadaab camps not verified, says UN

What you need to know:

  • The council delegation that visited Kenya and Somalia last week noted “the non-availability of clear information on the presence of terrorist elements inside the camps."

  • Somalis living in the refugee camp planned the terrorist attacks on the Westgate shopping mall in 2013 and Garissa University College last year, Mr Ruto charged.

  • Kenya has made it clear the camp will be closed.

New York, United Nations

Kenya’s claims of terrorist activity inside the Dadaab camps have not been verified, the president of the United Nations Security Council suggested on Wednesday.

The council delegation that visited Kenya and Somalia last week noted “the non-availability of clear information on the presence of terrorist elements inside the camps,” Egyptian UN Ambassador Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta told the full council at a meeting in New York.

LEADER OF DELEGATION

The Egyptian diplomat is presiding over the Security Council this month and was the leader of the delegation that met with President Kenyatta and other high-level officials in Nairobi.

Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto told the UN Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on Monday that Dadaab “poses an existential security threat to Kenya.”

Somalis living in the refugee camp planned the terrorist attacks on the Westgate shopping mall in 2013 and Garissa University College last year, Mr Ruto charged.

“We have facts, we have figures and we can demonstrate that [this] is indeed the case,” the deputy president declared.

Kenya has made it clear the camp will be closed.