NAIROBI, Kenya- Residents in Mandera County are demanding the immediate removal of Jubaland forces following a deadly attack that left at least six people dead and several others injured in Arabia Sub-County near the Kenya-Somalia border.
The latest attack has sparked anger among locals and political leaders, who now claim the presence of the foreign forces inside Kenyan territory is worsening insecurity in the volatile border region.
According to reports, the victims were travelling in a passenger vehicle from Mandera town to Arabia town when heavily armed gunmen ambushed them at Beer-Awayon village and opened fire indiscriminately.
The incident has reignited concerns over the porous Kenya-Somalia border and the continued presence of armed groups linked to the ongoing political and military crisis in Somalia’s Jubaland region.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua blamed what he termed as “illegal Jubaland forces” for the killings, arguing that Kenya’s territorial integrity and the safety of residents in northern Kenya were under threat.
“Two days ago, we witnessed and received sad news from Northern Kenya, where we lost patriotic Kenyans in an act of aggression and incursion by Jubaland forces who continue to be on Kenyan soil illegally,” Gachagua said in a statement.
He further claimed he had previously warned about the security risks posed by the alleged occupation of parts of Mandera by foreign fighters.
Local leaders and residents are now piling pressure on the national government to urgently restore stability in the region, strengthen border security, and flush out all armed foreign groups operating within Kenyan territory.
Mandera County, which borders both Somalia and Ethiopia, has for years struggled with insecurity linked to cross-border attacks, terrorism, clan conflicts, and the spillover effects of instability in Somalia.
The killings have also renewed calls for increased deployment of security personnel and improved intelligence operations in the region to prevent further bloodshed.
