Kenya’s military action in Somalia slows famine refugee flow

The United Nations (U.N.) says the number of famine refugees flowing into Kenya slowed to a trickle after Kenyan troops moved into Somalia.

The U.N. said Wednesday that only 100 Somali refugees entered Kenya last week, down from 3,400 the week before.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said military operations and heavy rains at the border have contributed to the reduced flow. Kenyan troops moved into Somalia around Oct. 15.

Since January, 152,000 Somalis have been registered at the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya, an average of more than 3,500 a week.

UNHCR says it is possible more refugees are moving into camps in Ethiopia instead of Kenya because of the new military activity.

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis are at risk of starvation because of the country’s famine.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.