Eight killed in suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Mandera

The victims, who include five road construction engineers, two National Police Reservists and their driver, were shot dead in an ambush by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

The police said the team was working on the critical Arabia-Lafey road infrastructure project when they were attacked at Hagarsu. The gunmen also stole two rifles after killing the victims.

A sombre mood engulfed the Mandera County Teaching and Referral Mortuary as the bodies of the victims were received at the facility.

The morning convoy, working under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority, was ambushed at around 7:00 am near Koromey by heavily armed assailants who blocked its path and sprayed the vehicle with bullets.

The wreckage at the scene offered a glimpse of the deadly encounter that claimed the lives of all eight occupants.

Seven victims died instantly at the scene. They included two National Police Reservists and five road construction engineers. Their driver later succumbed to severe injuries while being rushed to a nearby health facility for treatment.

Reliable sources indicated that the attackers fled towards the nearby border after seizing two firearms from the fallen reservists.

Mandera County Police Commander Robinson Ndhiwa said a multi-agency security team had been deployed to pursue the attackers.

“We have deployed a multi-agency security reinforcement team to hunt down the militia. We are fully committed to securing ongoing development projects and protecting all professionals working in this region,” Ndhiwa said.

The targeted killings have triggered outrage among residents, who are calling on the government to address recurring security lapses in the region.

Mandera County Assembly Speaker Omar Salah urged security agencies to strengthen protection in volatile border areas, warning against allowing people working on development projects to become targets of attacks.

“We cannot allow individuals dedicated to building our infrastructure to lose their lives in such tragic circumstances. The relevant security ministries must wake up and proactively secure these volatile border zones,” Salah stated.

Five of the victims remain at the Mandera County Teaching and Referral Mortuary, while three others have already been laid to rest within the county in accordance with Islamic customs.