The recent disappearance of an Australian national linked to the Al-Shabaab terror group in Wajir Township, Kenya, has raised concerns about the presence of foreign fighters in northern Kenya.
The Australian, identified as Nathan Clavel, went missing under suspicious circumstances, and there are fears that he may have crossed into Somalia to join Islamist fighters.
Police officers from DCI Wajir East confirmed to Garissa Today on Tuesday that they received information about a suspicious individual at the Grand Oasis Hotel.
Clavel, along with Abdulwahid Gadafi Abdulkarim, arrived at the hotel, but Clavel left abruptly and did not return. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Mohamed Adan Abdi picked up Clavel outside the hotel and handed him over to Salah Sheikh Noor. They left for an unknown destination using separate vehicles, raising concerns about Clavel’s safety.
The detained individuals are being held for questioning, and their mobile phones have been seized for forensic analysis. The officers visited the hotel and established that two men, Abdulwahid Gadafi Abdulkarim aged 21 from Garissa Township and Nathan Clavel, an Australian national and holder of passport number PB2696205, arrived at the hotel on June 22 at around 5 am and booked two separate rooms for two days. The same day at around 5.45 pm, the foreigner left the hotel but did not return.
Foreign fighters in Al-Shabaab have largely come from East Africa, primarily Kenya, followed by Tanzania and Uganda, and have not generally accrued significant influence within the terror cell. However, the disappearance of Nathan Clavel has raised concerns about the presence of foreign fighters in northern Kenya and their potential involvement in Al-Shabaab’s activities.
Al-Shabaab is a militant group based in Somalia and has been responsible for a series of deadly attacks in the country and the region. The group has been fighting to establish an Islamic state in Somalia since 2006 and has been responsible for numerous attacks against civilians, government officials, and African Union peacekeepers.
The Kenyan government has stepped up its efforts to combat terrorism, including launching operations against Al-Shabaab in Somalia and increasing security measures within the country.
