By Cyrus Ombati
Kenya has reinforced troops at the border with Somalia over what officials termed as an imminent renewed clash between the local Transitional Federation Government (TFG) soldiers and al-shabaab militia.
Security officials patrolling the border reported sighting hundreds of al-shabaab gangs driving towards Dhobley town on Monday afternoon, which is an indication of an imminent clash.
"They have been driving from down the border towards Dhobley in lorries and there are fears of a war which may spill over to the Kenyan side," said a senior officer aware of the situation at the border.
Dhobley is just five kilometres from the Kenyan border, where the U.N. refugee agency said about 1,200 Somalis are crossing into Kenya on a daily basis, to go to the Dadaab refugee camp which currently hosts 440,000 refugees.
Witnesses said hundreds of Kenyan security forces backed by armoured vehicles and helicopters were deployed at the porous frontier. They however blamed poor co-ordination for the situation on the ground, whereby the gangs attack Kenyans.
And even as commissioner of police Mathew Iteere announced the closure of the main border with Somalia, those on the ground said it is impossible given the nature of the area.
"The border is officially closed meaning no Kenyan official is allowed to allow trading in the area. We have put in place enough security there to ensure no criminals run to the country," he said.
Iteere added that more personnel had been dispatched to the border with "clear instructions" on how to handle the situation henceforth.
He made the remarks after a trip to Lamu where two tourists have been abducted by gunmen who escaped towards Somalia’s Kismayu area.
Somali troops, with logistical and intelligence support from Kenya and Ethiopia, regained control of towns along the border with both neighbours earlier this year, but the insurgents have vowed to strike back.
The militants in Somalia say they are holding two Kenyan soldiers Corporal Evans Mutoro and senior sergeant Jonathan Kipkosgei Kangogo who they captured near Dhobley border.
The group posted a message on the Internet saying they caught the two men while on a surveillance mission.
The duo were on a military re-supply mission in Wajir County in North Eastern Kenya near the border of the war torn Somalia on July 24.
