|
Nairobi, Kenya, October 15, 2011 – The United Nations has lifted a
security advisory in northern Kenya, paving the way for relief work to
resume.
However, UN aid agencies have been advised to be cautious of the
insecurity in south-central Somalia region of Dobley.
The lifting of the advisory means UN aid groups can now operate in Liboi
near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Consequently, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has
started transporting 2,252 refugees from Liboi to Dadaab camps on
request from local authorities effective from October 9.
A UN report from IOM says the population in Dadaab had increased to
458,636 as of October 6. The camp was built to host 90,000 people only.
“As of October 9, IOM had transported up to 41,337 refugees to Dadaab
since July 31,” the report says.
The agency also relocated more than 24,900 refugees from the outskirts
of Dagahaley Camp to Ifo II East Camp and transported 16,435 refugees
from Liboi to Dadaad.
The IOM had, according to the report, completed Phase I of shelter
construction at the recently created Ifo II East Camp for scheduled
7,500 refugees.
The lifting of the UN advisory is due to improved security surveillance
on the Kenyan coastline and on the Kenya-Somalia border.
The Kenyan Government has heightened security surveillance along its
border with Somalia following the kidnapping of two tourists, Judith
Tebbutt (Briton) and Marie Dedieu (French) a few weeks ago.
Mrs Tebbutt’s husband, David, was shot dead.
The Kenya Navy and the Maritime Police Unit are patrolling the Indian
Ocean coastline with helicopters from the Army and Police Air wing
providing 24-hour aerial surveillance.
Meanwhile, more than 1,360 Somalis have been vaccinated against polio
and measles before being admitted into refugee camps.
The exercise is aimed at boosting the government’s efforts in combating
the two diseases.
Source: Daily Nation
|
|
