More than 10,000 refugees in Mandera

More than 10,000 Somali refugees have arrived in the northern Kenyan border town of Mandera in the past two weeks, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Thursday. The refugees, mainly from the Somali border town of Bulo Hawa, are reportedly fleeing inter-factional fighting. Armed clashes taking place appear to be over control of the road to Mogadishu. Land mines have been laid on the road to Bulo Hawa, and the road between Bulo Hawa and Luuq, southern Somalia, has been closed, the statement said. As a result, Bulo Hawa is effectively cut off from other centres in Somalia, UNHCR said. At present, the refugees are staying with relatives and friends in Mandera. Some brought belongings by donkey-cart or on local transport, while others only managed to carry a few personal effects as they walked across the border. UNHCR said staff had regularly heard gunfire at a distance this week. UNHCR staff have warned that Mandera - a town of only 20,000 people- may soon be overwhelmed by the influx of refugees. Although Kenya has maintained an open border policy in the area, the Kenyan local authorities have recommended that no refugee camp be established as it could encourage the spread of fighting across the border. They have also warned against the distribution of humanitarian assistance for the same reason. The Kenyan government and UNHCR are dispatching a joint mission next week to determine mechanisms for the delivery of assistance to new arrivals, UNHCR said.