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At least six people were killed on Sunday after al Shabaab militants attacked a national police reserve camp in Fafi, Garissa County.
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The assault, which occurred around 5 am in the Biyamadhow area, also left four others severely injured. Authorities believe the attackers looted the camp and fled with an undisclosed number of weapons.
Some victims were shot, while others were stabbed. The militants are thought to have also sustained casualties during the raid on March 23.
There are concerns about further attacks in the region, as militants have been seen mobilizing towards Kenya. The area is located near the porous Kenya-Somalia border, frequently crossed by militants. Locals have reported seeing militants in the area, probing security camps and gathering intelligence.
Police have sent multi-agency teams to the region to track down the attackers and prevent further violence. National Police Service spokesperson Michael Muchiri stated that more personnel had been deployed to confront the militants, acknowledging the persistent threat despite previous counterterrorism efforts.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to a local mortuary, while the injured were hospitalized. Additionally, more officers have been sent to Mandera, where intelligence suggests militants are planning attacks on security personnel.
Officials believe the motive behind the attack is revenge for the arrest of a relative of the militants, who had been detained by Kenyan authorities for terrorism-related offenses. The group is also believed to be planning more kidnappings of Kenyans, prompting increased security at the border.
Mandera has recently been the focus of attention following the shooting of a police officer by rogue Somali security officials. Meanwhile, police are also searching for a man abducted by gunmen in the Modika area of Garissa County. The victim was in a hijacked car with others when two armed men forced them out of the vehicle, assaulted them, and drove off with one of the passengers. They later abandoned one victim and escaped with the driver.
This incident follows a kidnapping in Mandera County on March 17, when three men were taken by a group believed to be al Shabaab militants. The men have not been found. The same gang had abducted five chiefs in the area last month, contributing to the ongoing instability in the region.
Somalia’s lack of a stable government has worsened the situation, and while security operations have reduced attacks, the threat remains. These incidents come as the US embassy issued a new travel warning for Americans, advising against travel to several counties in Kenya, including Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River, and coastal areas north of Malindi due to risks of terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. Kenyan authorities have yet to respond to the advisory.
