This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
On August 30, 2019, police in Kenya launched a successful operation in the coastal region of Kwale, resulting in the death of a notorious gang leader.
According to Kwale County Commander Tom Odero, the suspect, Mohamed Rashid Mwatsumiro alias Modi, was killed during a shootout with officers who raided his house in Ngomeni on Friday morning.
The operation also led to the recovery of a pistol said to have been used to carry out robberies in Likoni, and a police officer sustained a gunshot injury.
Commander Odero linked the suspect to a series of attacks in Mombasa and Kwale, including the 2017 Diani ACK church attack, which left two police officers dead and their two rifles stolen.
"We will continue to pursue other targets in the area to ensure that all criminal elements are brought to book," he said.
The killing comes at a time when police say they have heightened operations in the coastal region to flush out terror operatives and criminal gangs responsible for a spate of crime in the area.
