Terror reigns as Kenya-Somalia border turns into war playground

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen arriving for a security meeting at Kambi Samaki in Baringo County on May 2,2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] The recent killing of five Special Operations Group (SOG) members and injuries suffered by eight officers have renewed fears over the resurgence of terror attacks in the country. The attacks took place a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accompanied by Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, and his two deputies, Eliud Lagat and Gilbert Masengeli, among other top police bosses, visited the officers on Labour Day to boost their morale. Murkomen's visit took place amid questions about the force's capacity to deal with the al Shabaab militants that have terrorised areas bordering Somalia for over 20 years. According to a police report, the officers from the elite squad of SOG had gone for an operation in Boni Forest, Lamu, on April 27, 2025, when the militants ambushed them. The report says that the elite unit were in the forest for two days and they were ambushed on April 29 at around 4pm. From the attack, the eight injured officers were taken to the Manda Bay airport, where they were then airlifted to Nairobi West Hospital for treatment. In the past eight months, cases of terror attacks have increased along the Somali border, putting to question the country intelligence and the security teams capacity. "The enemy sustained unidentified injuries and fatalities; the operation to track the enemy continues," read part of the report. "I spent Labour Day visiting police officers injured in the line of duty who are undergoing treatment at the Nairobi West Hospital," said CS Murkomen. "The officers sustained injuries in the fight against crime in various parts of the country, including one in Haiti," he added without mentioning that some of the officers included those injured in Lamu. Surveillance drones Police are yet to issue a statement regarding the attack. An officer familiar with the details of the attack told The Sunday Standard that the SOG group in Lamu is ill-equipped to deal with the militants, who have upgraded their weaponry. The officer says that some of the surveillance drones used by the elite squad were donated by the US, and some have since broken down, and the government does not have the capacity to repair them. This has lowered their morale, weakening their ability to counter the terror group. The incident occurred alongside a Mandera County attack, where the militants killed five quarry workers and injured two. "We lost five quarry men in an unfortunate incident this morning, April 29, 2025, at Bur Abor Village in Mandera after a vehicle they were traveling in was attacked by al Shabaab militants. Two others escaped with bullet injuries," said Mandera County Commissioner Henry Ochako. The County Commissioner said that 16 other quarry workers who were travelling in the bus escaped unhurt in the dawn attack and were rescued. Mandera County government took care of the funeral expenses of the killed quarry workers. The incident also occurred about a week after a technician with a Kenyan telecom firm was abducted in El Wak town. He was traveling with two others in a truck to supply fuel to a mast about 25 kilometres from town. The other two were unharmed and rescued, and the truck was secured by the Wargadud SOG. On the same day, militants reportedly intercepted several vehicles and motorbikes heading to Elwak Town, intending to abduct passengers. After confirming they were locals, the militants let them go-but not without a stern lecture. Issued warnings They also stopped two Nairobi-bound buses from Mandera, briefly interrogated passengers, and issued warnings before allowing them to proceed. The matatu driver and his conductor were later arrested for failing to seek escort from police reservists, as required. On March 14, a police reservist's camp was raided by Somalia's National Intelligence Service Agency (NISA), who were on a mission to rescue a brother of one of the officers. The attack left one officer, Dennis Omari, dead and another, Wright Mokua, seriously injured. Isaq Abdi, alias Issack Mohamed, admitted in court that officers led by his brother attacked the camp to rescue him after he was arrested alongside a government administrator, Yusuf Malim, who is the Bulla Pawa Sub-Location Assistant Chief and Noor Yakub. According to police, the three men were planning to kidnap Chinese nationals who were working at a construction site in Mandera County. The three men are in remand after they were denied bail. The lecturing of locals in the Mandera attack came almost a month after about 150 militants visited Mangai village in Boni Forest on March 15, where they lectured locals during the Holy Month of Ramadhan. According to locals, the militants also distributed dates for people to break their fast, having raided the village in the evening. Senior chief for Dachabole location Chief Mohamed Noor Hache centre with members of his family at the Somalia's Boruhache town on 12 April, 2025. [File, Standard] Abducted chiefs The militants split into two groups, with one raiding the village while the other was left manning the Mangai Border Patrol Unit (BPU) after probing it. On March 19, the militia group abducted a motorist in Garissa, a day after the United States embassy listed the county as one of those unsafe due to terror threats. Mohamed Abdikadir was travelling alongside Fuad Ali using a probox to Ifo when the incident occurred. They were blocked by another vehicle, and Abdikadir was bundled into the vehicle, which then sped off. Ali was then driven around by the abductors in their car before he was abandoned at Lapset Road. On the same day, three men were abducted in Mandera County by individuals believed to be Al Shabaab fighters. Derow Adan and his pillion passenger, Isak Abdulahi, were traveling from Elwak to Iresuki when their motorcycle broke down. They called mechanic Amare Ibrahim for assistance. The motorcycle was later found abandoned along the Elwak-Mandera road at Bomba Doga, about 15 kilometres from Elwak. Police suspect the three were taken into Somalia. Earlier, on March 23, six police officers were killed and four others injured in an attack on their camp in Garissa County by suspected al Shabaab militants. Though the group didn't claim responsibility, police said the assault bore its hallmarks. On February 2, five chiefs preparing for President William Ruto's regional tour were abducted and taken to Jibril, Somalia. They were held for 62 days. The five Senior Chiefs Adawa Abdi Mohamed, Mohamed Hassan Kulmiye, Mohamed Noor Hache, Chief Abdi Hassan Suraw, and Assistant Chief Ibrahim Gabow-were freed on April 6.

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