Al-Shabaab Militants Launch Attack on Mandera Police Camp as Security Forces Repel Assault
A suspected Al-Shabaab attack on a police camp in Mandera County was successfully repelled on Wednesday evening after heavily armed militants attempted to storm a key security installation near the Kenya-Somalia border.
According to police reports, the incident occurred at the Jabi Quick Response Unit (QRU) Camp in Lafey Sub-County shortly after 7pm when a group of suspected Al-Shabaab fighters launched an assault on the facility.
Preliminary intelligence and security assessments indicate that approximately 10 heavily armed militants approached the camp from the north-eastern direction before opening fire in what authorities believe was an attempt to test the camp’s defensive capabilities and possibly overrun the installation.
Security sources said the attackers engaged officers from a distance of about 600 metres, prompting an immediate response from personnel stationed at the specialised unit.
“The officers on duty responded swiftly and effectively, leading to a sustained exchange of gunfire that forced the attackers to retreat,” a security source familiar with the incident said.
Residents living near the camp reported hearing prolonged gunfire during the confrontation, causing panic in nearby villages and pastoralist settlements as fears spread of a major security breach.
However, authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported among security personnel or civilians during the attack.
Following the incident, security agencies moved quickly to secure the area and launch follow-up operations aimed at tracking the attackers and establishing the full circumstances surrounding the attempted raid.
Standard security lockdown procedures were also activated at the camp as officers intensified surveillance in the region.
The latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges facing communities and security agencies operating along Kenya’s porous border with Somalia, where Al-Shabaab militants have repeatedly targeted security installations, public infrastructure and civilian populations.
The incident comes less than a week after a deadly cross-border raid left two people dead and another seriously injured in Mandera County.
Police said the attack occurred at approximately 3am on June 8 when about 10 armed assailants believed to have crossed into Kenya from Somalia raided Elgolicha village near the border.
During the attack, 82-year-old Abdo Ali Gole was reportedly shot dead while his wife sustained serious injuries. Another victim, identified as Ibrahim Issack, was also killed near the border before the attackers fled the scene.
Security officials have since increased patrols and surveillance operations in the area amid concerns over renewed militant activity along the Kenya-Somalia frontier.
Also Read:Â UK Denies BATUK Troops Took Part in Nanyuki Ebola Facility Protests