The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has stepped in to support hundreds of displaced Somali families who crossed the border into Kenya amid ongoing fighting in the Gedo region, Somalia.

The humanitarian agency has provided shelter kits to 200 households currently housed at the Barwako Evacuation Centre, located within the Barwako Primary School compound in Mandera County.

The families fled from the border town of Belet Hawa following renewed clashes between Somali federal forces and the Jubaland regional administration.

The conflict, which has escalated in recent days, has forced civilians to seek refuge across the border in northeastern Kenya.

Speaking during a visit to the displacement site, Abdinoor Ole Hussein, Chairman of the Kenya Red Cross North Eastern Region, confirmed the intervention.

“We have provided emergency shelter kits to assist these families who arrived with almost nothing. Their needs are immense, ranging from food, water, and sanitation to basic non-food items,” Ole Hussein said.

He added that the displaced population remains in a “highly vulnerable” condition and called for urgent humanitarian assistance to address food insecurity, health services, and protection for women and children.

The Barwako Evacuation Centre, which was set up as a temporary refuge, has rapidly become overcrowded, raising concerns about sanitation and disease outbreaks.

Humanitarian organizations fear that without timely support, the situation could worsen.

Across the border, the security situation remains volatile.

Local sources in Belet Hawa report continued hostilities between the two armed factions, with sporadic gunfire and the presence of heavy weaponry near civilian areas.

Kenyan authorities have increased surveillance along the border and are working with humanitarian actors to monitor the movement of displaced people.

The Kenya Red Cross has appealed for more support to scale up its response, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions if the conflict persists.

The latest displacement adds to the growing humanitarian toll in the Horn of Africa, where protracted insecurity and climate-related crises have uprooted millions.