The Kenyan government has announced a delay in the planned reopening of its border with Somalia, citing recent attacks attributed to the Islamist militant group al-Shabab.
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki stated that the phased reopening of border posts along the extensive frontier would not proceed as originally announced in May. This decision has been prompted by the “recent incidents of threats and cases of insecurity in the frontier counties.”
The move comes after separate incidents near the border resulted in the deaths of five civilians and eight police officers last month.
The border between Kenya and Somalia was initially closed in 2011 due to frequent attacks by al-Shabab, which has been engaged in an insurgency against the Somali government in Mogadishu.
In addition, the minister disclosed that Kenya plans to begin integrating refugees who have been residing in camps within a few weeks as part of a new approach to managing them.
The new system aims to identify and address “agents of terror and criminals” who exploit refugee spaces to harm host communities.