STORY: Kenya delays reopening of Somali border amid surge in cross-border attacks
DATELINE: July 6, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:30
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Kithure Kindiki, cabinet secretary for Interior and National Administration, inspecting a refugee camp
2. SOUNDBITE (Swahili): KITHURE KINDIKI, Cabinet secretary for Interior and National Administration of Kenya
3. various of refugees
4. Various of the official inspecting a refugee camp

STORYLINE:

Kenya said Wednesday that the reopening of the border with Somalia will be delayed due to increased cross-border terror attacks by al-Shabab terrorists.

Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kithure Kindiki, said at the Dadaab refugee camp in northeast Kenya that cross-border incursions will be dealt with first.

SOUNDBITE (Swahili): KITHURE KINDIKI, Cabinet secretary for Interior and National Administration of Kenya
"Kenyan and Somali governments have kicked start talks to reopen the border from Mandera, Liboi, Kiunga and other places. We won't retreat in that decision, but now, we have seen an increase in terror attacks. We have shelved that idea. We'll deal with the attacks first, and then re-open the border."

However, the Kenyan official stressed that the plans to reopen the border points which were closed in 2012 at the height of al-Shabab terror attacks, will continue.

On May 15, Kenya and Somalia agreed to reopen their border crossing points in northeastern Kenya in phases.

Terror attacks in Kenyan areas bordering Somalia have recently increased, claiming more than 30 lives, most of them security officers, according to the police.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)