Kenya’s Elite Special Operations Group (SOG) officers have stopped eight Al-Shabaab terrorists who were attempting to plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Garissa County.
In a statement issued by the Kenya Counter Terrorism Policing on Sunday October 26, the SOG team acted swiftly after receiving intelligence from members of the local community that a group of suspected terrorists had been seen trying to set up the deadly explosives.
“Our Elite Special Operations Group (SOG) stopped 8 Alshabaab terrorists who were attempting to set up Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) at the Welmerer-Yumbia area in Garissa,” read the statement in part.
“The SOG swiftly responded to information reported by the local community that 8 terrorists had been spotted attempting to set up IEDS.”
Special Operations Officers Foil Al-Shabaab IED Attack in Garissa
The officers immediately launched an operation in the area and engaged the militants in a brief exchange.
During the confrontation, the team managed to recover assembled IEDs that were reportedly meant to target security officers, civilians, and vehicles using the busy Welmerer-Yumbis road.
“The Brave officers engaged the terrorists and managed to recover assembled IEDS, which were to be used to attack our mothers, children, and security officers using Welmerer-Yumbis road,” the statement read further.
“The SOG appreciates the cooperation of the local community and other stakeholders and urges for enhanced vigilance to stop any terror plots.”
The latest operation by the Special Operations Group comes amid a surge in Al-Shabaab attacks across northern Kenya, where several security officers have lost their lives in recent months.
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Kenyan Soldiers Die from Explosions and Al-Shabaab Attacks
In July this year, three Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers died after sustaining injuries from an improvised explosive device (IED) attack along the Sankuri–Kiunga Main Supply Route (MSR) in Lamu County.
According to a statement from the KDF Strategic Communications Department, the incident occurred as troops were conducting a routine patrol in the volatile region, which borders Somalia and has long been a hotspot for terrorist activity.
The attack, which claimed the lives of the soldiers, came barely a week after a patrol vehicle ferrying seven police officers was hit by an IED along the Gadudia–Laga Road in Mandera East, near the Kenya–Somalia border.
The incident happened early in the morning of July 8, when the officers were travelling from Bambo towards Mandera town.
Reports indicated that the blast occurred at around 1:00 a.m. between Aresa and Khalalio, roughly four kilometres west of Mandera Police Station.
Out of the seven officers on board, one escaped unharmed while six sustained various injuries to the hand, leg, chest, forehead, and eye.
In February this year, a KDF soldier was also killed after an explosion caused by an IED in Elwak, Mandera County. Four other soldiers were seriously injured following the attack, which occurred near Lafey Junction.
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Meanwhile, in May this year, five police officers were killed and five others injured in an ambush by Al-Shabaab militants in Boni Forest.
The officers, all members of the elite SOG, were pursuing suspected terrorists in the Lehelo area when they came under heavy gunfire.
The May 2 ambush followed a two-day tracking operation based on intelligence reports indicating that the militants were planning a large-scale attack from a hideout deep in the forest.
SOG was established to enhance Kenya’s ability to respond to threats, particularly from al-Shabaab, which has perpetrated attacks within the country.
The group is composed of highly trained officers selected from various units, including the General Service Unit (GSU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU).
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