24 in hospital after deadly clash on Kenya, Somalia border

At least 24 people are receiving treatment for different injuries sustained when two camps clashed at Bulahawa on Monday.

Jubbaland forces, a regional security outfit, clashed with Mogadishu-backed Somalia National Army (SNA) forces in the town neighbouring Mandera.

Dr Hassan Kala, medical superintendent at the Mandera County Referral Hospital, said the facility received 18 security officers and six civilians.

“We received 24 patients and five of them underwent surgery on Monday to stabilise their condition,” he said.

According to Dr Kala, two patients suffered burns from explosions and they are in a stable condition.

The majority of the patients at the facility suffered bullet injuries in the clash.

Lack of a blood bank at the facility is a big challenge in dealing with emergencies, the medical superintendent said.

“We don’t have a blood bank but we mobilised to get blood for successful operations,” he said.

Normalcy returned to Mandera town Tuesday after the Monday fighting at Bulahawa that left many businesses and offices closed.

“I have opened my shop, but I am closely following the happenings in Bulahawa in case the two groups fight again,” said Mr Siyad Adan, a trader in Mandera town.

Mandera and Bulahawa are intertwined and it is not easy to tell where the border is.

Mogadishu has since accused Kenya of supporting a certain militia group in  Bulahawa, but Kenya responded saying that the fighting could displace Somalis and lead to an influx of refugees in the country.

Air transport in Mandera remains affected for the second day, as no plane landed in the town, sandwiched between Ethiopia’s Suftu and Somalia’s Bulahawa.

The communication network which was switched off on Sunday is yet to be restored with a majority of locals in money transfer business recording losses.

“My M-Pesa business is now dormant. We need a communication network for our businesses to go on,” said Ms Fatuma Maalim.

Learning was also disrupted in many schools in Mandera town and its environs but a spot check by the Nation indicated that a number of students were back in school on Tuesday.