NAIROBI—The Special Operations Group (SOG), an elite police unit, reportedly neutralised suspected Al-Shabaab fighters attempting to infiltrate the country from Somalia, killing two militants and critically injuring four others.
The intelligence-led ambush unfolded on the outskirts of Sarira location in Mandera County hours before the Eid celebrations on Friday. The officers, backed by aerial surveillance, tracked and intercepted the group as they tried to cross the porous border.
Confirming the incident,, the Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) Unit stated: “As Kenyans were engaged in Eid celebrations, our brave and resilient SOG officers undertook an intelligence-led operation against terrorists who attempted to infiltrate the Kenya border.”
“[The] SOG officers laid an ambush for a group of terrorists on the outskirts of Sarira, Mandera. The officers, backed by intelligence aerial assets, waited for the radical elements,” the statement added.
“During the assault, two fighters were killed, four critically injured, and the remaining Al-Shabaab members retreated deep into Somalia under heavy firepower from our officers.”
No Kenyan security personnel were injured in the operation, CTP said.
The Friday strike comes at the backdrop of Kenya’s heightened vigilance along the northeastern frontier, where Al-Shabaab has repeatedly tried to exploit festive periods and cross-border routes for attacks and infiltrations.
Security analysts said the operation “marks another tactical victory” for the elite SOG unit in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the region.
