Cross-Border Clashes in Somalia Spill into Kenya, Stirring Fear in Mandera

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MANDERA: Residents of Kenya’s border town of Mandera are living in fear after stray bullets, rockets and live ordnance from fighting in Somalia landed on Kenyan soil, damaging property and forcing some families to flee their homes.

Mandera Senator Ali Roba warned that escalating clashes across the border were directly endangering Kenyan lives and violating the country’s sovereignty.

The unrest stems from a tense standoff in Bulla Hawa, a strategic Somali town at the junction of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, recently seized by Somali government forces.

The takeover has intensified a power struggle between Mogadishu, the Jubaland administration and regional militias, in what locals call the “triangle war.”

Last week, Jubaland’s vice president issued a three-day ultimatum to militia leader Abdirashid Janan to leave Bulla Hawa, but elders negotiated a brief reprieve. The Somali Federal Government has accused Kenya of backing Jubaland, while reports of an Ethiopian military helicopter in a Janan stronghold have heightened concerns over foreign involvement.

In Mandera, some residents have relocated to safer areas, fearing further cross-border fire or a potential incursion. Roba called for urgent action to protect civilians. “Our government must make it clear this is unacceptable,” he said.

Mandera, a hub for cross-border trade with Somalia and Ethiopia, has long faced security challenges due to its proximity to conflict zones. Locals warn that without swift intervention from both national and international actors, the situation could spiral into a broader regional crisis.