This archive report was first published on 17 May 2020.
On Saturday morning, Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Khorof Kharar Police Post in Wajir, prompting a swift response from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). The KDF launched sustained overnight airstrikes targeting possible hideouts of the militants along the Kenya-Somalia border, as reported by a security official.
Wajir County Commander Thomas Ngeywa revealed in an interview with the Nation that the terrorists might have suffered an unknown number of casualties following the airstrikes. “Our counterparts from the KDF launched aerial strikes against the Shabaab militants at night in response to an earlier attack and we suspect they might have suffered heavy casualties in the process,” said Mr Ngeywa.
During the raid, the militants destroyed a Safaricom communication mast, looted an armoury, and made away with three rifles. They also planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on the Qarsa-Konton route, which resulted in injuries to some officers after their vehicle ran over an IED.
Security forces have vowed to step up their war against the Somalia-based terror group, which has seen a surge in terror attacks in the region this year. Khorof Kharar is currently one of the terror hotspots in Wajir County, located approximately 30 km from the Kenya-Somalia border.
