Kenya extends curfew in border region after recent attacks

The Kenyan government has extended a 12-hour curfew in the border region of Mandera by three months following recent terror attacks by Somalia-based Islamist group Al-Shabaab in the region.

Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said the curfew, which remains effective until March 28, 2017, aims to help tame terrorists in the region.

The curfew was first imposed on Oct. 27 after Al-Shabaab militants killed at least 12 people and injured six others at a guest house in an area bordering Somalia.

Residents should remain indoors during the curfew except under special circumstances as authorised by respective deputy county commissioners, Nkaissery said in a notice seen on Wednesday.

Under the curfew, people should remain indoors between 06:30 p.m. and 06:30 a.m. in areas including Mandera town, Omar Jillo, Arabia, Fino, Lafey Kotulo, Elwak and the environs extending to 20km from the Kenya-Somalia border.

Many of those killed in the Oct. 27 were non-locals in the mainly-Muslim border region.

Al-Shabaab has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Kenya since Kenyan troops entered Somalia in October 2011 to help the Somali government battle the group. Recently, Al-Shabaab attacks in Kenya have been limited to the border region, manily targeting non-Muslims and police. Endit