MANDERA, Kenya — Kenyan security forces killed two suspected al-Shabab militants and injured four others during a targeted operation near the Somalia border, police said Tuesday.
The Counter Terrorism Policing Unit said officers from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted an intelligence-led operation on the outskirts of Sarira in Mandera County ahead of last week’s Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
According to a police statement, officers received intelligence about a planned infiltration attempt and tracked the suspects using aerial surveillance. Security forces then laid an ambush, killing two militants and injuring four. The remaining members of the group fled across the border into Somalia, authorities said.
The operation comes amid heightened security across Kenya, with increased patrols, reinforced checkpoints, and expanded surveillance in areas considered vulnerable to militant attacks.
Last month, counterterrorism officers said they disrupted a suspected al-Shabab plot in Nairobi after extensive monitoring of the group’s movements and communications. Police recovered assault rifles, pistols, and explosive devices allegedly intended for use during Ramadan.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked militant group based in Somalia, has carried out numerous attacks in Kenya in recent years, particularly in border regions and major cities.
