Explosive kills Kenyan as fighting intensifies in Somalia

People crossing the vandalised Kenya-Somalia border from Border Point One to Mandera town customs area. [Photo, Standard]

Tension is boiling over in Mandera County as fighting factions across the border in Somalia drag their war into Kenya.

On Wednesday evening, Fatuma Madnur Mohammed died after an improvised explosive device (IED) abandoned on her farm in Bulla Hawa exploded.

Police believe the device was left behind by fleeing fighters of the Jubaland forces, who are entangled in war with those of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), which is pushing to reclaim the Gedo region.

Since the fighting broke out last month, forces from both sides have been crossing into the Kenyan side in Mandera East Sub-County, where they seek refuge before regrouping and returning to the battlefront.

Fatuma, 44, died on the spot in the 6.50pm incident, which left her daughter, 11-year-old Asman Mohamed Noor, nursing serious injuries to both legs.

Asman came across the IED and took it to their hut, where it exploded as her mother tried to ascertain the nature of the object.

County Police Commander Robinson Ndiwa urged locals to exercise caution whenever they come across suspicious objects. "The incident is regrettable, but we have intensified patrols and curtailed the fighting factions away from the border of our country," said Ndiwa, adding that another IED killed a donkey.

According to Fatuma's brother, Abdi Mohammed, the home of the deceased is about 100 metres from the border.

The Gedo region, occupied by the influential Marehan clan, is largely under the control of the Jubaland administration headed by Ahmed Mohamed Islam, alias Madobe.

Of late, the FGS has succeeded in taking control of strategic towns such as Balad Hawo, Garbaharey and Bardere.

Since the conflict broke out, hundreds of people have been fleeing to Kenya and are being hosted by the Kenya Red Cross Society in temporary camps at Duse and Barwaqo Primary Schools in Mandera town.

The conflict intensified when two military helicopters carrying senior officials, among them Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur, landed in Balad Hawo town.

Formerly the Minister of Security in the Jubaland administration, Hassan defected and was appointed the FGS's head of intelligence for Gedo - a move that fuelled the violent confrontations.

Before the fall-out, the two forces had been fighting together against Al Shabaab. The federal government now accuses Madobe of orchestrating the fighting.

The fighting has already claimed the life of Colonel Hussein Giif, the Jubaland police chief for Gedo, in an assault by FGS forces that left several Jubaland soldiers dead and others injured at Tuulo Amiin village.

During the ambush targeting a military camp, some Jubaland soldiers managed to escape, fleeing to Kenya and Ethiopia.

Amid the infighting across the border, the Deputy Inspector General for the Kenya Police, Eliud Lagat, on August 9 toured Mandera, where, in the company of his Administration Police counterpart, Gilbert Masengeli, he urged residents to identify individuals inciting inter-clan conflicts and engaging in terrorism.

"Inter-clan clashes and terror activities remain a major security concern in the region, and we must jointly address these critical issues," Lagat said, emphasising the need for cooperation between security agencies and the communities.