Tension along the Kenya-Somalia border has risen significantly after Somali forces shot and injured two Kenyan police officers.
The Kenyan officers were in a multiagency team comprising officers from Kenya Police Service (KPS), Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU), and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The Kenyan team contained eight officers who were patrolling and watching over the border at Barri, which is also known as border point PB3.
The officers were patrolling the area at around 11am on the morning of February 1.
While on their patrol, they encountered two Somali women who were attempting to cross over into Mandera through the Bulla Hawa area.
The Kenyan officers stopped the women before interrogating them.
A team from Somali National Army (SNA) disrupted the interrogation from their workstation, which was about 10 meters away from the place where the Kenyan team was.
Five SNA soldiers then opened fire on their Kenyan colleagues.
Two officers from CIPU and attached to KRA were injured in the fracas.
Over the last two days, tension between the two nations along the border has increased significantly.
Somalia and Kenya are not enjoying the best of diplomatic and bilateral relations.
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is currently trying to find a solution to the diplomatic spat between the two neighboring nations.