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Kenya warns Somali army after Mandera grenade attack

Storyline:Security, World

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A Kenyan regional administrator has warned the Somalia National Army (SNA) against provoking Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers following a recent grenade attack in Mandera.

Speaking during an official visit to the border county, North Eastern Regional Commissioner Nicodemus Ndalana said that Kenya will not tolerate what he termed as “Somalia aggression” towards the country.

Mr Ndalana was referring to a recent attack using a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) suspected to have been carried out by SNA soldiers against the KDF soldiers who were on a routine border patrol.

The grenade, thrown from Bula Hawa, hit the county’s finance offices in Mandera town. No one was injured during the Wednesday evening attack.

UNACCEPTABLE

Addressing journalists, Mr Ndalana stated that the action by the SNA was unacceptable.

“They (KDF) were targeted with RPG’s from the other side of Somalia and I would like to say that what they did is unacceptable,” said Mr Ndalana

“We will not accept [to have] our people to be targeted while they are taking part in their duty of protecting our country,” he added.

The regional boss warned that Kenya will be forced to retaliate in case of another such attack in the future.

“If they are provoked again even they (KDF) will be forced to fight back since we also have the same rockets that they (Somali army) have,” he warned.

SECURITY MEETING

The regional boss directed the county security team led by the County Commissioner to organise a meeting with administrators from Bula Hawa for the sake of peace.

For several months now, Somalia has been embroiled in a dispute with Kenya, accusing it of harbouring and assisting fugitive Jubbaland’s Internal Security Minister Abdirashid Hassan.

Early last month, fierce fighting between the SNA and Jubaland security forces allied to Mr Hassan was witnessed in Bula Hawa, an incident that disrupted peace in Mandera.

The SNA has been on a mission to capture the fugitive minister who is reported to have escaped from a jail in Mogadishu and sought refuge in Mandera which sits at the Kenya-Somalia border.