The unrest broke out on Saturday morning at the Hagadera camp in Garissa County, northeastern Kenya, near the border with Somalia. Refugee youths reportedly opposed plans to construct a modern market on an open field, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a statement, Kenya’s Department of Refugee Services said protesters damaged its offices, stole government equipment and broke into nearby businesses during confrontations with security personnel.
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“The office and other infrastructure were built to serve everyone in Hagadera, refugees and host community alike,” the department said, warning that the destruction could disrupt essential services and undermine peaceful coexistence between refugees and local residents.
Police said demonstrators threw stones at security officers, while government property was damaged or stolen and several businesses were forced to close.
Community representative Mahat Mowlid alleged that business interests opposed to the proposed project may have encouraged the protests, despite earlier consultations with refugee and host community leaders.
Authorities said investigations were underway to identify those responsible, recover stolen property and prevent further violence. The government also called for calm and dialogue.
The Dadaab refugee complex hosts more than 438,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, nearly 97% of whom are from Somalia, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
Established in 1991 to accommodate people fleeing Somalia’s civil war, Dadaab has grown into one of the world’s largest refugee settlements. The Hagadera camp alone was home to more than 145,000 refugees and asylum-seekers as of October 31, according to UNHCR figures.
The government warned that attacks on public infrastructure could disrupt services relied upon by both refugees and surrounding communities.
