Police recover AK47s and bullets in Dadaab refugee camp, which they believe have been used to hijack humanitarian workers
NAIROBI (AlertNet) – Kenya police have recovered four AK47 assault rifles, 16 magazines and 477 bullets in Dadaab refugee camp, which they believe have been used to hijack humanitarian workers, The Star newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Many aid agencies have pulled out of Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee camp, following the kidnapping of two Spanish employees of medical charity Medecins sans Frontieres on Oct. 13.
In September, a Kenyan driver working for Care International was also kidnapped in the camp, which hosts 463,642 refugees, predominantly Somali.
One refugee and one Somali were arrested after a police sting operation, the newspaper said.
“The district commissioner and his officers acting on a tip-off from members of the public disguised themselves as potential customers to purchase the firearms from the arrested gunrunners who are believed to be ring leaders of firearm trade in the region from within the camps,” James Ole Serian, provincial commissioner for North Eastern Province, told The Star.
“Our officers met the culprits on Friday last week on a deal to purchase AK 47 assault rifles at the price of 30,000 (Kenya) shillings ($300) and made a down payment of Sh 15,000 before they returned on Sunday to arrest the suspects who were waiting for them for the final payment.”
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