GARISSA, Kenya – Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have reportedly launched an attack on Abakaile Village in Garissa County, targeting a telecommunications mast before fleeing, with a teacher reported missing in the aftermath.
The militants reportedly attempted to uproot the telecommunications mast, prompting security agencies to launch an operation to track down the attackers while searching for the missing teacher.
Authorities are yet to establish whether the teacher was abducted by the militants or became separated while fleeing the attack.
Security personnel have since been deployed to the area to establish the teacher’s whereabouts and investigate the attempted destruction of the communications infrastructure.
As of the time of publication, neither the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) nor the National Police Service (NPS) had issued an official statement on the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the teacher’s disappearance or the ongoing investigations.
The latest attack comes just days after another suspected Al-Shabaab assault in neighbouring Mandera County, raising fresh concerns over the resurgence of militant activities targeting both civilians and critical infrastructure along Kenya’s border with Somalia.
On Friday evening, July 24, suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Fino security camp in Mandera County near the Kenya-Somalia border, but police officers swiftly engaged them in a gun battle, forcing the attackers to retreat before causing further damage.
During the Mandera attack, a student was shot in the stomach and rushed to hospital, where the victim was reported to be in stable condition.
Police later launched a security operation to pursue the attackers and secure the affected area.
Residents reported that the attack on Fino began between 6pm and 7pm, with another suspected assault occurring in Arabia about an hour later.
Heavy gunfire was also reported in the Asharaf area, prompting heightened security operations across parts of Mandera County.
The Garissa incident has renewed fears over the continued targeting of communication infrastructure by suspected Al-Shabaab militants, with telecommunications masts considered critical because they enable communication between residents, emergency responders and security agencies during attacks.
