Five police officers have been confirmed dead following an ambush by suspected Al Shabaab militants in the expansive Boni Forest, Lamu County. Five others were injured in the Tuesday, April 29 attack.
Preliminary reports indicate that the officers, all members of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG), were pursuing suspected terrorists in the Lehelo area when they came under heavy gunfire.
The ambush reportedly occurred after the team had spent two days tracking the militants based on intelligence suggesting plans for a large-scale attack from a hideout deep within the forest.
Police confirmed that the injured officers were airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment. The identities of the slain officers have not been officially released, pending notification of their families.
In response, a multi-agency operation has been launched to pursue the attackers, who are believed to have suffered casualties in the fierce exchange.
Murkomen visits injured officers
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday, May 1 visited wounded officers at Nairobi West Hospital.
CS Murkomen stated that the injured personnel were involved in anti-crime operations across various regions, including one in Haiti.
He further strongly condemned the attack and affirmed that the government would intensify counter-terrorism operations in the area.
“I also sent our deep sympathies to the families of five officers who lost their lives in recent operations across the country. We are committed to improving the welfare of our officers through the various reforms which include better working conditions and pay as well as enhanced medical care,” said Murkomen.
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Al Shabaab militants, who operate from across the border in Somalia, have frequently targeted Kenya’s northeastern counties, striking both military installations and civilian populations.
Boni Forest, which spans parts of Lamu, Garissa, and Tana River counties, has long served as a corridor for militant infiltration and recruitment.
Suspected Al Shabaab attack leaves 5 dead
This latest incident happened on the same day another attack attributed to the group happened in Mandera County, where at least five people were killed.
The attack occurred on the morning of Tuesday in Bur Abor village, claiming the lives of five individuals—reportedly non-locals working at a local quarry.
According to eyewitness accounts and initial investigations, the attackers ambushed the workers at their site, catching them off guard.
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Two others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment.
In March, six police officers were killed in an early morning ambush by suspected Al Shabaab militants on a National Police Reservist (NPR) camp.
The targeted camp housed NPR officers and local volunteers who assist the National Police Service in safeguarding remote regions.
Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo told journalists that the officers were attacked around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 23, while preparing for morning prayers.
Four additional officers were injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
Just hours after the Garissa attack, suspected Al Shabaab militants struck again—this time killing a senior NPR officer in Mandera, raising the death toll to seven.
The slain officer was identified as Abidkar Ibrahim, the head of NPR attached to the office of Mandera Governor Mohamed Aden.
According to the Mandera Governor, Ibrahim was killed at his home on the morning of Monday, March 24.
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