A diplomatic row between Somalia and Kenya has spiralled to the country security forces who shot and injured two Kenyan police officers at the Kenya-Somali border in Mandera.
It is reported that five security officers from the Somali National Army shot the two Kenyan police officers along the Kenya-Somalia border on Monday.
The two Kenyan police officers were in the company of other officers from the Crime Investigative Police Unit when two women crossing over to Kenya from Bulla Hawa were stopped for questioning.
It is at this point that the five Somalia soldiers who were metres away manning the Somalia border emerged and obstructed the Kenyan police officers from questioning the two women crossing over to Kenya.
What followed was gunshots from the Somali solders who left two police officers wounded.
“They were being interviewed when Somali National Army officers manning their side about 10 meters away obstructed our officers from interviewing the two persons,” the report read in part according to K24.
Tension built up at the border but Kenyan police officers did not retaliate.
The wounded police officers were rushed to hospital. They are reportedly said to be in critical condition.
This incident comes in the wake of a diplomatic standoff between Kenya and Somalia.
In December, Mogadishu issued a seven-day ultimatum for Kenyan diplomats to leave Somalia citing “Kenya’s interference”.
Somalia Minister of Information Osman Abukar Dubbe announced “the cutting of ties with Kenya”. He said that Kenya has been interfering with Somalia’s territorial and diplomatic sovereignty.
Dubbe said Mogadishu withdrew all its envoys in Kenya.
‘’Somalia wants all its diplomats to go back to Mogadishu and Kenyan diplomats have 7 days to leave the country,’’ Dubbe stated according to State broadcaster SNTV.
Weeks later, the Federal Republic of Somalia banned the issuance of visas for Kenyans on arrival in Mogadishu.
Now Kenyan passport holders will be required to seek visas from the Somali Embassy in Nairobi.
