At least six people were killed and four others seriously injured on Sunday after suspected al Shabaab militants attacked a national police reserve camp in Fafi, Garissa County.
The attack, which occurred at around 5 am in Biyamadhow, saw the heavily armed militants overrun the camp, ransacking it before escaping with an unknown number of weapons. Authorities reported that the assailants shot and stabbed some of their victims, while suffering casualties of their own in the raid.
Security agencies fear that more attacks could follow, as intelligence reports indicate that militants have been mobilizing and moving towards Kenya. Residents near the porous Kenya-Somalia border have raised concerns over increased militant activity, including surveillance of security camps.
National Police Service Spokesman Michael Muchiri confirmed that additional personnel have been deployed to the region to track the attackers and prevent further incursions.
“More personnel have been sent to confront the enemy. This is an unfortunate incident, but we are taking necessary measures to address the threat,” Muchiri stated.
The bodies of the deceased have been moved to a local mortuary, while the injured victims were taken to hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, authorities have heightened security in Mandera amid reports that al Shabaab is planning fresh attacks, allegedly in retaliation for the arrest of one of their members by Kenyan security forces. Officials also warn of a growing trend of militant-led kidnappings in the region, prompting enhanced border security measures.
In a separate incident, security teams are searching for a man who was abducted by gunmen in Modika, Garissa County. The attackers, believed to be al Shabaab militants, hijacked a vehicle on March 19 and drove it towards the Somali border, releasing one occupant while disappearing with the driver.
Elsewhere in Mandera, three men remain missing after being abducted by suspected militants on March 17. The victims, including a motorcycle mechanic, vanished near Elwak, in a region known for repeated terrorist attacks.
The recent surge in insecurity prompted the U.S. Embassy to issue a fresh travel advisory, warning its citizens against traveling to border counties, including Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, and areas north of Malindi, citing risks of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
Kenyan authorities have yet to respond to the advisory but maintain that security operations are ongoing to suppress militant threats in affected areas.
