**Islamist rebels in Somalia have accused Kenya of recruiting ethnic Somalis who live in Kenya to fight against them.**An official with the al-Shabab group, which controls large parts of Somalia, warned that his organisation would do all it could to stop Kenya.
Officials in the Kenyan town of Garissa say about 200 young men have been taken from their homes.
Kenya supports Somalia’s weak UN-backed government, which is battling al-Shabab and other Islamist groups.
‘No complaints’
Sheik Da’ud Mohamed Garane, appointed as governor of Gedo region by al-Shabab, told a crowd of about 200 people that Kenya was “giving training and military equipment to Somali men in three different areas along its border with Somalia”.
“These men are being prepared to attack the peaceful positions we control. But let me tell Kenya that we will do all we can to prevent that to happen,” he said.
They are apparently told that they are being recruited into the police force and will be paid $600 (£380) a month.
The BBC’s Bashkas Jugsodaay in the north-east of Kenya says reports of Kenyans being recruited have been circulating for several days.
The mayor of Garissa town, Mohamed Gabow, told our reporter that people had been moving around town during the night, recruiting young boys.
“We thought if you are giving our youth jobs then they better be jobs that don’t endanger their lives,” he said.
“But giving them guns and involving them in fighting in other countries is not fair.”
Several parents in Garissa expressed concern for their children, saying they had been told they were going to Mombasa for training, but had not been heard from since.
Earlier in the week a police official told Reuters news agency no official complaint had been lodged over the reports.
“No local leader or any parent has come forward to inform us about any such reports,” Paul Mukoma said.
North-eastern Kenya is largely inhabited by ethnic Somalis.
Somalia last had a functioning central government in 1991.
Since then numerous armed groups have been fighting for control.
Islamist groups dominate much of southern and central Somalia, while the government runs only parts of the capital, Mogadishu.