Tension high in Mandera over fugitive Somali minister

Tension has remained high in Mandera town for the fourth day now with reports that troops of the Somalia National Army troops are converging along the border, planning to raid a hotel where a Jubbaland minister is allegedly holed up. Somalia has accused Nairobi of harbouring fugitive Jubbaland security minister Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur. Mr Abdinur, also known as Abdirashid Janan, is alleged to have escaped on January 28 from a Mogadishu prison, where he had been held since August 31, 2019  He is accused of committing grave human rights violations and killing civilians in Gedo.  Majority of the people living along the borderline have sought refuge at their relatives' homes in other areas within the town. Mr Hussein Abdow, a resident of Bula Tawakal in Mandera, said many left their homes on Thursday, when the Somali security forces started appearing at border. “We are not sure of what will happen but once thing I know is that in case the Somalia forces cross into Mandera, many innocent people will lose their lives,” he said. Ms Abdia Giro, a milk vendor from Bulahawa, a Somalia town neighbouring Mandera, said military officers from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) started arriving in the town on Thursday. "The situation has not been the same because the officers have taken positions and are running our town,” Ms Giro said.