US warns against travel to Kenya

The State Department on Monday renewed its travel warning for Kenya as the government cracks down on Somali refugees in the wake of violence linked to Kenya's intervention in neighboring Somalia.

Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia in 2011 to route the al-Shabaab Islamic militia and last year formally joined the African Union Mission in Somalia. The moves have sparked a campaign of retaliation inside Kenya, with some 30 attacks over the past year killing at least 76 people – most notably when a bomb killed 10 people on a Nairobi bus. 

“The Kenyan government is currently conducting sweeps at checkpoints and in predominantly Somali-inhabited areas of Kenya searching for proof of status in Kenya and sending those who are refugees to camps,” the travel warning states. 

“U.S. citizens of Somali descent should be aware that they may encounter interruptions in their travel due to these directives. It is very important to carry proof of identity and legal status in Kenya (i.e., valid visa). If you are detained by police or immigration officials, you should request to speak to someone from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.”

The State Department's last warning, in July, caused a stir when Kenyan authorities protested advice that American citizens vacate the coastal towns of Kenya, especially Mombasa, because of an “imminent threat” of terrorism. Two Iranians had been accused of planting explosives at a Mombasa golf club.

Last month, the White House took the unusual step of condemning renewed communal violence in the East African nation.

---