This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
On December 6, 2019, Al-Shabaab militants carried out a brazen attack on a construction site in Mandera, near the Somalia border, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
The militants targeted the site at dawn, burning down four pieces of equipment, including an excavator, flat roller machine, shift foot roller, and a pressure pump, valued at approximately Sh38 million.
Fortunately, the two guards on duty escaped unharmed, and no one was injured during the incident on the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey road.
Outgoing North Eastern Regional Commissioner Mohamed Birik confirmed that an investigation into the incident is underway, with the motive of the attack still unknown.
Al-Shabaab militants have been active in the region for months, leaving a trail of destruction and raising concerns about possible local involvement in the incidents.
Just days prior, on December 6, the militants targeted and attacked non-locals on a bus headed for Mandera, resulting in the deaths of several passengers.
Police have since arrested eight suspects in Kenya for allegedly facilitating the incident.
