Kenya government has given UNHCR 14-day ultimatum for the closure of Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. Kenya has cited national security threats as the reason behind its decision to shut down the two refugee camps.
According to Nation Media, the government has already written a letter to UNHCR. The camps should be closed within the stipulated time. Kenya and Somalia diplomatic rows set to escalate as the government plans to transport the over 500,000 Somali refugees to the border of Somali, upon the expiry of the 14-day period.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i conveyed the government’s decision to the UNHCR representative in Kenya, Fathiaa Abdalla on Tuesday. Matiang’i was accompanied by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho and Chief Administrative Secretary Hussein Dado.
The decision signals the worsening relation between Kenya – Somalia relation and will likely trigger global alarm. The civil war in Somalia caused its citizens to flee and seek asylum in Kenya.
Following increased terror attacks, the government of Kenya has repeatedly raised fingers against refugees based in Dadaab for hiding Al shabaab terrorists.
Dadaab refugee camp in Garissa County was ranked by Wikipedia as the third largest refugee complex in the world in 2019. The camp was by then hosting more than 223,420 registered refugees and asylum seekers.
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