MOGADISHU, Somalia – Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) have allegedly blocked commercial trucks from Somalia since the abduction of two Cuban doctors by al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab.
The restrictions of commercial goods coming from Somalia has caused to increase the food prices in Mandera, a town close to Kenyan border along Somalia.
The KDF soldiers confiscated and burned down all goods worth $55,000 while commercial trucks were trying to cross the Somali border along Kenya.
Some of the religious scholars and elders in Mandera town criticized the restrictions of commercial goods coming from Somalia.
They (scholars and elders) said the Kenyan forces had set a fire on the goods at the start of the holy month Ramadan, causing to increase the food prices in Mandera.
Kenyan forces also shut down quarry work sites in Mandera to hunt down work opportunities.
Last month, the diplomatic relation between Somalia and Kenya strained after Nairobi blocked a flight from Mogadishu with government officials and being denied entry in the capital of Nairobi.
Kenya also recently accused Somalia of deliberately misleading the world as it alleged Somalia to have auctioned oil and gas blocks in Kenya, calling Somalia’s actions as an ‘act of aggression”.
But, Kenya’s expectations and miscalculation were met with cool after Somalia clearly indicated that it has no plans to offer any blocks in the disputed maritime area until the parties’ maritime boundary is decided by the ICJ.
Kenyan’s open war with Somalia started in 2011 when it decided unilaterally to send its troops to Somalia without consulting with the TFG of Somalia.
Kenyan elites have openly advocated Kenya to annex part of Somalia, citing failure by the Somali people to rule themselves.
Nairobi also announced that it is considering establishing diplomatic ties with Somaliland, a self-declared state, internationally considered to be an autonomous region of Somalia.
Kenya remains unsatisfied with the Somali response and continues to pursue an aggressive campaign undermining Somalia’s sovereignty.
