UK government advises citizens not to visit parts of Kenya ahead of El Adde, Dusit anniversaries
Vehicles in flames at the scene of the terror attack at Dusit D2 Hotel on January 15, 2019.
The British government has updated its travel advice for its citizens visiting Kenya, warning that terrorists may try to carry out attacks in some regions.
The British government, through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCO), warned against all but essential travel to areas within 60km of Kenya's border with Somalia.
Sources said the update is in part informed by a January 4 Daesh (formerly ISIS) new leadership’s statement calling for the launch of a global terror campaign motivated by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
On Friday, health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza said Saturday that Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people in the besieged territory, 99 days into the war.
Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza since Hamas's October 7 attack has killed at least 23,843 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest ministry toll.
The UK government also advised its citizens to only visit Lamu and Manda Islands and avoid all other parts of Lamu County.
“FCDO advises against all but essential travel within 15km of the coast between the Tana River and the Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) River," the statement said. No travel can be guaranteed to be safe. If you decide to travel, do your research and take out appropriate travel insurance. The insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses,” it said.
The travel advisory does not include safari destinations and coastal beach resorts.
Two days to the fifth anniversary
The advisory comes two days to the fifth anniversary of the January 15, 2019, terrorist attack on the DusitD2 complex in Nairobi.
The DusitD2 complex was frequented by diplomats, including Americans and Israeli nationals living in Nairobi.
The warning also coincides with the El Adde attack in Somalia, in which more than 100 Kenyan troops were killed by militants on January 15, 2016.
In the Dusit attack, al-Shabaab gunmen armed with explosives, automatic weapons and grenades stormed the six-building complex of shops, offices and a hotel. At least 21 people, including a US citizen, were killed in the attack.
The 2019 attack began at 3pm, when attackers set fire to three vehicles parked outside the Dusit hotel complex. This was followed by an explosion by a suicide bomber outside the restaurant.
