Kenya to close Dadaab, world's biggest refugee camp

Kenya's interior minister says the government will close Dadaab refugee camp, which has hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees and is often referred to as the world's largest refugee camp.


Joseph Nkaissery said on Wednesday that Dadaab camp compromises Kenya's security because it harbours Somalia's al-Shabaab Islamic extremists and is a conduit for smuggling weapons. He said al-Shabaab planned three large-scale attacks from Dadaab, which hosts more than 328 000 refugees, mainly from Somalia.

Last week the Kenyan government announced it intends to close Dadaab and Kakuma, a refugee camp housing 190 000 people, mostly South Sudanese fleeing civil war. But on Wednesday Nkaissery said Kakuma will not be closed because it does not present a security risk.

The UN has urged Kenya to reconsider its decision to close Dadaab camp.