This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
Published on October 21, 2019, Kenyan security officers have launched a major manhunt for al-Shabab militant Abdullahi Banati behind the recent murder of 11 police officers near the border with Somalia.
Abdullahi Banati, a Somali Galjeel, allegedly led a team of militants that planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that killed paramilitary police officers from HarHar camp on October 12.
According to the police, investigations indicate that Banati is the commander of a team of militants operating along the border and masterminding nuisance attacks against security agencies and the public.
The police officers lost their lives at Degow on the road between Liboi and Damajale close to the Kenya-Somalia border while conducting a routine security patrol.
Police have traced the activities of Banati and his team to the border and suspect that he escaped to Somalia with the rest of the operatives.
The police group is responsible for cross-border incursions into Kenyan territory, especially in Garissa, and has carried out numerous attacks along the border area.
Police claim that Banati planned the attack with the help of operatives within the Dadaab refugee complex, which has been linked to previous attacks, including the 2015 Garissa University attack and the 2013 Westgate attack in Nairobi.
Police are calling on the public to come forward with information on Banati to assist in investigations into the terror network in Garissa.
