Somalis refused entry to Kenya

2007-01-02 21:05

Nairobi - Thousands of refugees fleeing recent fighting between the Ethiopia-backed Somali government and the now-vanquished Islamists were stranded on Tuesday at the border with Kenya after authorities refused them entry, said officials.

UN office for coordination for humanitarian affairs (Unocha) said: "About 4 000 Somalis are said to be in Dhobley along the Kenya-Somalia border, waiting, not yet able to cross."

Kenyan police said they would not allow the refugees into the country for security reasons.

"We will never allow them to cross over," said a top police commander in northeastern Kenya, adding: "If we allow them they will bring in security problems."

Kenya has reinforced its border security to prevent Islamists from crossing into the country, which already hosts about 160 000 refugees who fled fighting more than 15 years of unrest in Somalia.

Somalia lacks an effective government

Police said they are probing eight suspected Islamists fighters who tried to infiltrate into the country after they lost control of their last stronghold in Kismayo to an allied Somali-Ethiopian force.

Despite government claims that it has full control of southern and central Somalia, the Islamists, who have vowed to wage a guerrilla war, still pose a security threat in the impoverished nation of 10 million inhabitants.

The UN World Food Programme (WFO) said it had resumed normal operations in Somalia after a two-week disruption was caused by a land, air and sea ban imposed by the Somali government.

Somalia has lacked an effective government since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

Recurrent natural calamities have compounded misery for people in the country, where recent flooding affected about a million people.

- SAPA