Kenyan Forces Repel Suspected Al-Shabaab Night Attack on Military Base Near Somalia Border

NAIROBI – Kenyan security forces thwarted a nighttime attack by suspected Al-Shabaab militants targeting a military base in Mandera County near the Somalia border, officials said on Thursday.

According to security officials, an armed group believed to comprise around 10 militants launched the assault on a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camp in Lafey district on Wednesday evening. The attackers reportedly opened fire from a position approximately 600 metres from the military installation.

Troops stationed at the base responded swiftly, triggering a brief exchange of gunfire that lasted several minutes before the assailants retreated from the area without breaching the facility.

Officials said no soldiers were killed or injured in the attack and that the targeted camp sustained no damage.

Kenyan authorities said security had been reinforced in border areas following the incident, while search operations were underway to track down those responsible for the attempted assault.

Although no group immediately claimed responsibility, the attack bore the hallmarks of Somalia-based Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, which has carried out numerous cross-border raids and attacks in Kenya in retaliation for Nairobi's military involvement in Somalia.

Mandera County, which borders Somalia and Ethiopia, has long faced security challenges linked to Al-Shabaab activity, with security personnel, civilians, and infrastructure frequently targeted in the region despite intensified counterterrorism measures by Kenyan authorities.

GAROWE ONLINE