Kenya’s high court has ruled that the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab, will remain open, despite a directive by the government in 2016, to have it shut.

The camp was set up in 1991, to house families fleeing conflict in Somalia, and some people have been living there since then.

The government feels as security improves in neighboring Somalia, some of the refugees can return home.

As a result, a deadline for the camp to be closed was set for May but that could be hindered by the court ruling, which the government says it will appeal, on security grounds.

The judge, John Mativo, said the government’s decision specifically targeting Somali refugees is an act of group persecution, illegal discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional.

He described the orders as excessive, arbitrary and disproportionate.