The prominent Djibouti businessman, Bore, is close to Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, and helped finance and organise the Djibouti-hosted Somali peace talks last year which elected Somalia's new president, Abdiqassim Salad Hassan. Last week, Bore went to Hargeysa, Somaliland, to hold talks with Somaliland President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal. A UN source said that the ban on commercial flights from Djibouti to Somaliland, also applied to UN flights with effect from Wednesday morning. The office of President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal of Somaliland has said that there can be no trade with neighbouring Djibouti because of conflict and differences. The refugees, mainly from the Somali border town of Bulo Hawa, are reportedly fleeing inter-factional fighting.
Armed clashes taking place appear to be over control of the road to Mogadishu.
Land mines have been laid on the road to Bulo Hawa, and the road between Bulo Hawa and Luuq, southern Somalia, has been closed, the statement said. At present, the refugees are staying with relatives and friends in Mandera. Some brought belongings by donkey-cart or on local transport, while others only managed to carry a few personal effects as they walked across the border. Although Kenya has maintained an open border policy in the area, the Kenyan local authorities have recommended that no refugee camp be established as it could encourage the spread of fighting across the border. They have also warned against the distribution of humanitarian assistance for the same reason.