By Horn Africa News
Residents of Mandera, in northeastern Kenya, are gripped by fear and anxiety after gunfire and rocket fire from ongoing clashes in Somalia spilled across the border into Kenyan territory.
Locals report that the sounds of heavy weaponry from the Somali side can be clearly heard and, in some cases, stray bullets and shells have landed directly in residential neighborhoods in Mandera.
Mandera Senator Ali Roba has warned that the situation is extremely dangerous, noting that many families are living in fear and that children are no longer able to play outside. He explained that residents of Mandera should not be forced to endure life under the constant threat of cross-border violence.
Roba urged the Kenyan government to urgently intervene by engaging with both the Federal Government of Somalia and the Jubaland administration to find a political and security solution to the conflict before it escalates further into Kenya.
He also emphasized that the government has a duty to protect the lives and property of its citizens.
Across the border in Somalia, tensions are reportedly high in the town of Bulo-Hawo, near Mandera, where political and military confrontations are underway between the Federal Government of Somalia, the Jubaland administration, and armed groups. Federal forces have reportedly taken control of the town, triggering a sharp escalation.
According to local sources, the Vice President of Jubaland has given Abdirashid Janan — a prominent militia leader — three days to vacate the town. However, local elders have successfully negotiated for an extension until Friday prayers.
Mandera residents fear that the fighting could spill fully into Kenyan territory. There are also unconfirmed reports that Ethiopian military aircraft have been sighted near the area where Janan is based, fueling speculation of foreign involvement in the clashes.
Civilians on both sides of the border are calling on the Kenyan and Somali governments, as well as the international community, to intervene immediately to prevent further bloodshed and protect innocent lives.
