Mandera, Kenya – Mandera Senator Ali Roba has called on the Kenyan government to take urgent measures to safeguard lives and property in Mandera County, as fierce fighting between Somalia’s National Army and Jubbaland State Security Forces intensifies across the border.
The clashes, centred on the strategic border town of Bula Hawa, have sparked widespread fear among Mandera residents, particularly those living near Border Point One. Many have abandoned their homes, moving to safer locations or seeking shelter with relatives in Mandera town.
According to local accounts, heavy exchanges of gunfire, rockets, and artillery have repeatedly breached Kenyan territory since last week, with stray bullets and unexploded ordnance posing a serious risk to civilians.
Humanitarian concerns are growing as hundreds of people have crossed into Mandera to escape the escalating violence in Somalia. Community leaders warn that continued hostilities could disrupt cross-border trade and worsen insecurity in the region.
Senator Roba urged the national security apparatus to respond decisively, saying that protecting Kenyan citizens from the spillover of foreign conflicts must remain a top priority.
The government has not yet issued an official statement on the latest border tensions, but security sources indicate that surveillance and patrols have been stepped up along vulnerable sections of the frontier.