A unit of the Kenya Defence Forces (Kenya Army) Engineers Brigade was earlier today, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, involved in a gunfight with members of a militia at the Kenya Ethiopia border.
The Counter-Terrorism and National Security Intelligence in a statement informed that the assailants since identified as members of the Garre Ethnic Militia had attacked construction workers digging a trench along the border, meant to curb illegal crossing from Ethiopia to Kenya.
This immediately prompted a response from Kenya Army troops from the Engineers Brigade who countered the terrorists, resulting in a force shoot out.
The militia is said to be knee-deep in facilitating illegal smuggling and human trafficking rings along the border.
The assailants had for a long time orchestrated the smuggling of contraband, drugs/narcotics and human trafficking in the area by exploiting the porous border corridor, and thus viewed closure of the border as a limitation to their trade.
Gunshots could be heard in the border town and are said to have seized after the militia was forced to retreat.
The Kenyan and Ethiopian governments have been digging a trench along the common border so as to tame the illegal activities prevalent in the area.
Collectively, the project would help both countries reap from revenue collection at the Moyale Town common border point.
CTNSI informed that both countries lose hundreds of millions worth of revenue owing to porous borders adding to deteriorating border security.
The agency stated that human trafficking cartels have been exploiting the border to smuggle thousands of Ethiopian nationals to South Africa and beyond.
Ethiopia has since committed resources to tame the illicit activities on its south after entering an agreement with Kenya over security at the border.
However, On Monday, March 30, 2020, Mandera County Commander Evans Achoki announced the closure of the Kenya Ethiopia border at the Moyale common border point as a measure to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country.
Following the outbreak, the government has moved to enact several measures to cushion Kenyans from the adversities of the virus and to prevent further spread.
