Al-Shabaab Militants Kill Police Reservist in Bold Mandera Attack

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MANDERA: A deadly assault rocked Mandera County as suspected Al-Shabaab militants stormed the residence of Abidkar Ibrahim, the head of security at the governor’s office, killing a National Police Reservist.

The attack, which took place in the Iressuki area of Elwak, saw the assailants engage police reservists in a fierce gunfight before escaping with authorities saying some of the militants sustained injuries during the battle.

Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan condemned the killing, calling it a preventable tragedy that could have been averted had security agencies acted on intelligence received a week earlier.

“Information was relayed to all security agents as late as Sunday, warning that the officers were at risk and lacked the capacity to defend themselves. Yet, nothing was done,” Governor Adan lamented.

This latest assault is part of an alarming wave of Al-Shabaab attacks targeting security personnel in Kenya’s northeastern region.

Just last Sunday, militants ambushed a National Police Reserve (NPR) camp in Fafi, Garissa County, killing six officers. The terrorists seized at least six AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and a Rocket Propelled Grenade before vanishing. Authorities report that 16 NPR officers were stationed at the camp during the attack—six remain missing, raising fears of abduction.

During the assault, security forces managed to kill two militants and injure another. However, the attackers later hijacked a vehicle carrying mourners, loaded the slain officers’ bodies inside, and drove toward Somalia.

The escalation of attacks has sparked growing concerns, with intelligence reports suggesting that militants are mobilizing and moving toward Kenya for further assaults.

Earlier this year, five chiefs were abducted by Al-Shabaab and remain missing, while three young men were kidnapped and later released under mysterious circumstances.

With the militant group intensifying its attacks, security experts warn that without swift action, Kenya’s border regions could face an even greater wave of terror.