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Kenya police investigate Garissa 'flogging' photos | Kenya police investigate Garissa 'flogging' photos |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Kenya's police chief has ordered an investigation into claims that police flogged a group of young people in north-eastern Garissa county. | Kenya's police chief has ordered an investigation into claims that police flogged a group of young people in north-eastern Garissa county. |
Photos posted on a policeman's Facebook page appeared to show the whipping taking place. | Photos posted on a policeman's Facebook page appeared to show the whipping taking place. |
The victims have been identified as Somalis who had crossed into Kenya. | The victims have been identified as Somalis who had crossed into Kenya. |
Security forces in the area face a threat from the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, which killed 148 people at Garissa University College in April. | Security forces in the area face a threat from the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, which killed 148 people at Garissa University College in April. |
In the pictures about 10 young men are seen lying face down on the ground while they are being beaten by a man carrying a rubber hose and an assault rifle. | In the pictures about 10 young men are seen lying face down on the ground while they are being beaten by a man carrying a rubber hose and an assault rifle. |
They have now been removed from Facebook, but the policeman's commentary is still there. | They have now been removed from Facebook, but the policeman's commentary is still there. |
"These Somali young men came to Garissa for a purpose but little did they know we [are] smarter than them," he wrote. | "These Somali young men came to Garissa for a purpose but little did they know we [are] smarter than them," he wrote. |
"We shall not relent on security issues." | "We shall not relent on security issues." |
In response to the pictures Kenya's national police chief Joseph Boinett said this was not the way to "fight terrorism," according to the Star newspaper. | In response to the pictures Kenya's national police chief Joseph Boinett said this was not the way to "fight terrorism," according to the Star newspaper. |
Kenyan rights activists have also condemned the policemen for allegedly beating up the Somali youths. | Kenyan rights activists have also condemned the policemen for allegedly beating up the Somali youths. |
"What will stop the victims from harbouring resentment against their government and having a soft heart for terrorists?" asked Khalif Abdi, coordinator of the North-Eastern Forum for Democracy. | "What will stop the victims from harbouring resentment against their government and having a soft heart for terrorists?" asked Khalif Abdi, coordinator of the North-Eastern Forum for Democracy. |
But there were some sympathetic comments in response to the original post. | But there were some sympathetic comments in response to the original post. |
"If only we had a few individuals like you, God fearing security officers, we could be better placed," one person wrote. | "If only we had a few individuals like you, God fearing security officers, we could be better placed," one person wrote. |
Somalis in Kenya have often complained of being unfairly targeted as the security forces try to confront al-Shabab. | |
As part of the measures to combat the threat from the al-Qaeda-linked group, Kenya has started to build a security wall along parts of the border with Somalia. | |
After the Garissa university attack, the government called for the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp housing more than 500,000 Somalis, seeing it as a hideout for al-Shabab fighters. | |
It has since gone back on the idea of forcibly shutting it down, but is backing a voluntary repatriation scheme. |
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