Five people, including four Kenyan police officers, were killed after suspected Al-Shabaab militants ambushed a security patrol in northeastern Kenya near the Somalia border.
The attack occurred on Tuesday near the town of Lafey in Mandera County, approximately 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Somali border. One area that has experienced a recent increase in militant activity.
According to a police report seen by AFP, four officers and a reservist attached to Kenya’s elite Special Operations Group (SOG) were killed during a confrontation with suspected Al-Shabaab fighters while conducting a patrol.
Kenyan police spokesperson Michael Muchiri confirmed the authenticity of the report but declined to provide additional details.
Local officials, speaking anonymously due to security concerns, said the patrol was first struck by a powerful explosive device. This happened just before militants opened heavy gunfire on the security personnel.
Festus Chepkwony, the deputy prefect for the Lafey area, confirmed that an attack had taken place and said authorities believe Al-Shabaab was responsible. However, he could not independently verify the reported death toll.
The Somalia-based extremist group has intensified its operations around Lafey in recent months.
In June, Kenyan media reported that Al-Shabaab attacked a Special Operations Group camp in Lafey. Last week, militants also launched attacks on the settlements of Arabia and Fino. Both are located about 60 kilometres north of the town along the Kenya-Somalia border.
Local officials say the increased frequency of attacks has heightened fear among residents.
“Al-Shabaab’s offensive operations have increased in the area and many residents are terrified,” one official said.
Kenyan security agencies continue to battle the Islamist group, which has carried out numerous cross-border attacks. All this despite sustained military operations aimed at weakening its presence along the frontier.
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