Al-Shabaab militants kill six Kenyan officers near border

[Deeq A.]

Garissa, Kenya — At least six Kenyan police officers were killed and four others injured early Sunday morning in a deadly assault on a police camp near the Somali border, an attack attributed to suspected al-Shabaab militants, according to Kenyan authorities.

The attack occurred in Garissa County’s Fafi area, close to Kenya’s eastern border with Somalia. Militants stormed a camp housing National Police Reservists around dawn, using firearms and edged weapons, said Kenyan police spokesperson Michael Muchiri.

“The attackers shot and stabbed the reservists, ransacked the camp, and fled with weapons and ammunition,” Muchiri told reporters, adding that several militants were believed to have been killed during the ensuing firefight.

Following the incident, Kenya’s security forces increased their presence in Garissa County, launching operations to track down and apprehend the assailants.

The Kenyan government reiterated its commitment to bolstering security in the volatile border region, frequently targeted by al-Shabaab.

Recent security warnings

The attack comes just a week after the U.S. Embassy in Kenya issued a travel advisory, cautioning its citizens against visiting border areas, including Garissa County, due to heightened threats from terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.

Al-Shabaab, affiliated with al-Qaida, has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s central government for over a decade, aiming to establish its interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

The extremist group has frequently targeted Kenyan territory in retaliation for Kenya’s military presence in Somalia as part of the African Union-led peacekeeping mission (AUSSOM).

Notorious attacks by the group in Kenya include the 2013 Westgate Mall siege in Nairobi, which left at least 67 dead, and the 2015 Garissa University College massacre that killed 148 people, mostly students.

The international community has strongly condemned the ongoing violence perpetrated by al-Shabaab.

Recent statements from the United Nations and countries including the United States and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed support for Somalia and Kenya in their ongoing efforts against terrorism.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently condemned an al-Shabaab attack near Somalia’s presidential palace earlier this month, pledging continued international assistance for regional stability and counter-terrorism efforts.

Despite significant military campaigns against the militants by Somalia and its international partners, al-Shabaab continues to pose a severe security threat across East Africa, exploiting weak governance and porous borders.

Kenya, which shares a lengthy border with Somalia, remains particularly vulnerable, highlighting persistent security challenges in preventing cross-border incursions by militant groups.