Britain cautions travellers as fighting in Ethiopia spills across the border, killing two women and forcing families to flee.
A new UK travel warning advises British nationals against all but essential travel to Moyale following deadly cross-border violence. Fighting in neighbouring Ethiopia has killed two women on the Kenyan side and injured several other people.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued the notice on November 6. It also cautioned that travelling against its advice could invalidate travel insurance.
Moyale, about 776 kilometres from Nairobi, joins other areas covered by British travel restrictions, including Mandera, El Wak, Garissa and parts of Lamu County.
UK travel warning follows border violence
Fighting between forces from Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regions has displaced thousands and disrupted activities along the shared border. The Kenya Red Cross says more than 50,000 people have crossed into Kenya to escape the violence.
Meanwhile, Kenyan families near the border have also relocated after stray bullets and rocket-propelled grenades landed on Kenyan territory. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said stray bullets killed one Kenyan woman and one Ethiopian woman.
Several others have sustained injuries, adding to the toll on communities near the fighting. Residents also face commodity shortages and electricity cuts as the conflict disrupts daily life in Moyale.
Prices of essential goods, including rice, cooking oil and milk, have almost doubled, increasing pressure on households.
Kenya strengthens security along Ethiopia border
Kanja visited Moyale on November 5 and assured residents that the government was strengthening border security. He said authorities were deploying additional personnel to protect communities affected by the cross-border violence.
The police chief also said the government was engaging Ethiopian authorities to help resolve the conflict. Those efforts, he explained, would support the movement of Kenyans stranded across the border.
Meanwhile, the violence has prompted residents to leave Moyale for Nairobi, alongside the displacement of families living near the border. The departures come as households contend with higher food prices, disrupted electricity supplies and continued insecurity.
