The United Nations team in Kenya has expressed concern over the rising cases of terrorist attacks on schools, teachers and learners in Northeastern.
The team said that acts of terror and hate are appalling, especially when they target innocent and unarmed civilians, including children.
UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee, in a statement on Wednesday, said the bombing of schools and killing of civilians violate international humanitarian law.
"We wish to remind all armed groups that whatever their grievances, they must uphold their obligations and cease targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools," he said.
The comments come following the killing of three non-local teachers in a suspected al Shabaab attack in Kamuthe area, Garissa county, on Monday.
The team also said the frequent attacks on the region affects the provision of key services and programmes delivered by the government and other partners.
It further said the areas being targeted by the militia are already facing challenges, including lagging behind in school attendance rates.
The team said the acts of terrorism should not be allowed to further affect the children in those regions.
"We recognise that school staff who are traumatised by such incidents face the agonising dilemma of whether they should continue in the job under such threats," the team said.
The UN team expressed its determination to entrench its engagement with national and county governments to implement the pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
This includes addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, building capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.
"We commit to working with other stakeholders as we pursue the UN value of making children’s human and civil rights a lived reality for all children in Kenya," Chatterjee said.
Following the attack on non-local teachers, Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion threatened to withdraw teachers posted to Northeastern.
Sossion demanded that Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha convene an urgent meeting with stakeholders to discuss the deteriorating security in the region.
