Latest reports from Aid groups in Kenya warn of tens of thousands of additional refugees from Somalia who are expected to arrive in the country in the coming weeks. The Aid groups say Kenya’s Dadaab Camp to brace for increase Somalia refugee arrivals as the Horn of Africa Nation continue to deal with the severe drought and hunger.
Even as the Somalis are expected to flee the country due to the severe drought and hunger, the atmosphere has been aggravated by the witnessed surge in Al-Shabaab attacks from across the regions of Somalia worsening possibilities of humanitarian interventions. The Al-Qaeda affiliated branch in Somalia is cited to exploit this crisis to win more members in the perceived strongholds by possibly making small interventions of food distributions to the destitute and vulnerable citizens.
According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), about 55,000 Somali refugees already have arrived in Kenya’s Dadaab camps over the past year. The camps in northern Kenya are currently home to about 230,000 people with most of them being Somalis who fled war conflict brought forth by the extremist terrorist group Al-Shabaab besides the hard living conditions over the past few decades.
IRC say, Dadaab refugee camp is expecting approximately another 60,000 arrivals over the next six months. Already a number has reportedly fled Somalia citing worsening drought and rising incidents of terrorist’s attacks in southern Somalia.
Already, those living in Dadaab camp face overcrowding, poor sanitation and inadequate access to essential services. The camp has recorded cases of measles and cholera, and aid agencies fear the crowded conditions will encourage further spread of diseases and thus urgent interventions need to be put in place to arrest any possible spread. The humanitarian needs are increasing and more assistance is needed to care for the refugees in the camp.
Like the rest of East Africa, Kenya is facing a severe drought, which has made more than 4 million people food insecure. Aid agencies warn of famine in Somalia if there is not enough support to increase humanitarian assistance. Security assets at S.I. also warn of compounded threat brought closer on the Kenyan soil citing crossing over and influx of these refugees, who possibly some are operatives and sympathizers, and would report to Al-Shabaab.
