Tension high in Mandera as residents protest against presence of Jubaland forces
North Eastern
By
Ibrahim Adan Ali
| Sep 02, 2025
A section of Mandera residents took to the streets to protest against the presence of Jubaland forces in the border town.
The demonstrators who hail from Border Point One (BP1) location said hundreds of families vacated their homes in August leaving behind helpless and underserved groups in the village.
Mohamed Malak, a senior resident of at BP1 location said the Jubaland forces have been occupying farmlands in the area for 33 days.
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The forces are part of a contingent that fled Somalia after they clashed with the Somalia National Army (SNA) in Belet Hawa town.
"Only a few people have remained in BP1 village in Mandera as majority have fled to other parts of the town and others crossed over to Ethiopia's Suftu town," Said Malak
Some residents have crossed to Suftu and Dolo towns of Ethiopia while others have moved in with relatives in other locations in Mandera East.
Fatuma Abdullahi Hussein who spoke to The Standard during the demonstrations in town said she has moved her family to the Suftu border town for safety.
"I moved with 92-year-old husband to Suftu together with our children mid last month when the village turned into a battleground for Jubaland and Somalia National Army," she said
Habiba Alasow Maow, 78, said her grandchildren did not report to school for third term over security fears due to the presence of Jubaland forces in the area.
"Farming was our only source of income and the land has been occupied by foreign forces thus, we are unable to access it to harvest crops," said Alasow
But Mandera deputy County Commissioner Solomon Chepotone denied claims of the presence of Jubaland forces in the region
Mohamed Abdi, an elder who was among the protesters, rubbished Chepotone’s claims on Jubaland forces in Mandera.
"I would like to answer the deputy commissioner for Mandera on his broad daylight denials that I am a witness and can confirm the presence of Jubaland forces in our farms in Mandera's BP1 village," said Abdi
The writer of this story, who visited BP1 location, saw the Jubaland forces in full military gear in the farmlands.
The writer, who was not allowed to film the soldiers due to the sensitivity of the matter, interviewed junior officers.
The group leader of ten foreign officers who fled their country after they were overpowered by SNA said: "Kenya is our friend and has accommodated us well since early August after a fight broke out between us and the federal government forces who invaded our bases in Belet Hawa."
"We have no problem with the people of Mandera and inhabitants of BP1, they can access their farms as long as they don't cause infringement to our military territory," he added.
Mohamud Sayid Aden, the vice president of Jubaland state, is in charge of the forces based in Mandera's BP1 location farmland.
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