Feared military clash on the Kenya-Somalia border

Sunday, December 20, 2020. Military movements have been active along the Somali-Kenyan border, particularly in the towns of Mandera and Beledhawo, where Kenyan and Somali government forces have been active in recent days. According to reports, the Kenyan government has withdrawn its troops from the northern region of Somalia and is heading towards the Somali border in Balad-hawo district.

According to reports, the Somali government has been deploying a large number of troops to Beledhawo district, from Luuq and Dolow districts. It is feared that the border will erupt as the political situation between the two governments has not improved in recent days, and their ambassadors have been withdrawn.

Reports indicate that there has been activity on the Kenyan side, particularly in Mandera, with reports of low-flying helicopters being spotted in Mandhera.

Political analysts say this could be the beginning of a new conflict, with direct fighting between the two governments. The Farmajo government has taken a number of steps to strain relations between the two countries by banning the import of khat from Kenya, putting more restrictions on people traveling on Kenyan passports, and eventually expelling the Kenyan ambassador to Somalia.

Mandera Deputy Mayor Mohamed Ahmed Araye told the BBC Somali Service that military operations have affected activities in Mandera and Beledhawo. He said the situation was deteriorating, with fears of war looming, noting that Mandera was a major livestock market and an important trading hub for people from the three countries of Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

He also pointed out that thousands of students from Beledhawo are coming to Mandera to study. The deputy governor of Mandera confirmed that there were military operations in both Somalia and Kenya.

"I call on President Farmajo and Uhuru Kenyatta to come back and restore relations between the two countries, to resolve any issues through dialogue. The border was already closed, but crossing the border is becoming more difficult," he said.

The Somali government has accused Kenya of arming rebels on the border and warned that the militants would attack Beledhawo and that the government was defending its territorial integrity and unity.

On the other hand, reports from Djibouti say that Somali President Mohamed AbdullahiFarmajo and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta sat down together. The president has brought together the meeting was attended by the President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh and Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy Ethiopia, trying to resolve the crisis in the conflict.

The meeting between Abiy and Guelleh between the two presidents is mediating the diplomatic rift between the two countries, after Somalia cut ties with Kenya, accusing it of interference. According to sources, this meeting is a prelude to a forthcoming general meeting of all IGAD Heads of State. The purpose of the brief meeting between Farmajo and Uhuru is to ensure that the IGAD Summit does not affect the sensitive speeches of the two Presidents.

The federal government recently filed a lawsuit against Kenya with IGAD, making the summit's agenda part of the crisis between Kenya and Somalia.