This archive report was first published on 14 June 2020.
On June 13, 2020, a fresh wave of terror struck Mandera, Kenya, as two Al Shabaab terrorists were killed in an attack at Warankalla area. The terrorists were targeting a communication mast, but their plans were foiled by swift action from police officers.
According to authorities, the attackers were defeated, and two of them were killed in the process. Unfortunately, a police reservist lost his life during the gunfire. Several others are believed to have escaped with serious injuries.
The attack raises concerns about a resurgence of the Somalia-based terror group, which has staged numerous attacks in the region since the beginning of the year, killing several police officers and civilians.
‘Their intention was to destroy the (communication) mast but they were defeated. Unfortunately we lost one brave man,’ a senior officer told Capital News from Mandera.
Investigations are ongoing into reports that the gunmen abducted a young boy during the midnight attack.
The North-Eastern region has witnessed relative calm for the past three months since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Kenya, despite the existing threat of terror from neighbouring Somalia.
The terror group is known to target non-locals and security forces with the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).