At least 39 Australians working on aid projects told to leave due to ongoing attacks by militant Islamic group al-Shabaab

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Australian volunteers in Kenya are being sent home as western embassies cut staff numbers due to ongoing terror attacks by the militant Islamic group al-Shabaab.

At least 39 Australians working on aid projects in the east African country were told on 17 July they were to leave the capital, Nairobi, and the Kenyan coast by 17 August. Some staff may be deployed to safer regions in Kenya while others will return to Australia or be redeployed to neighbouring countries.

Peter Walton, head of the international program at the Australian Red Cross, wrote to volunteers saying: "It is with great regret … that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has made the difficult decision to withdraw the Australian Volunteers for International Development (Avid) program from Kenya.

"The decision was based on the need to ensure volunteer safety and security in country."

A Dfat spokeswoman said while the Australia government remained a committed partner of the Kenyan government, it also "continues to monitor the security environment”.

“The safety and security of Australian government-funded volunteers in the Avid program is paramount," she said.

Avid program volunteers in Kenya are managed by the Red Cross and Austraining.

By August, the US government will withdraw its 70 Peace Corps volunteers, a program that has been running in Kenya since 1964, while some non-essential US embassy staff are currently being relocated to neighbouring countries such as Uganda or Rwanda.

Due to "a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping," the British government advises against all but essential travel to parts of Nairobi, Lamu county and Mombasa on Kenya's coast.

Kenya has faced increased security threats since October 2011 when it sent soldiers into southern Somalia to fight the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab militia that has terrorised the Horn of Africa region.

Al-Shabaab has ramped up its attacks of late. This month and in June it claimed responsibility for killing at least 94 people in remote towns near the country’s coast and Lamu. In September al-Shabaab militants attacked the upscale Westgate mall in Nairobi, killing 67 people shopping on a Saturday.

Kenyan police officials said on Thursday that a female German tourist had been shot dead in Mombasa, the second foreigner shot in same area this month.

Ahmed Salim, from the Dubai-based Teneo Intelligence consultancy, said insecurity and attacks were now the norm for Kenya's coast.

"The challenge, so far, has been to differentiate these attacks between al-Shabaab and criminal gangs or groups that seem to be targeting a specific ethnic group related to other grievances such as land. This uncertainty has raised concerns for foreign governments like the Australian government in minimising its footprint in the country," he said.

It is estimated 1,500 Australians live in Kenya.