Mandera Quarry Attacks Conducted by Marehan Tribesmen Under Guise of Harakat al- Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia

Al-Shabaab Exploiting Divisive Somali Clan Politics and Marehan Militiamen to Spread Terror Campaign in Kenya.

Events Summary 

• Al-Shabaab exploiting clan militiamen as proxies in its quest to destabilize North-eastern Kenya.
• On 7^th July 2015, 14 Kenyans were killed in cold blood in Mandera by clan militiamen acting on behalf of al-Shabaab.
• Marehan militiamen cloaking their criminal actions and sectarian violence in Mandera under the disguise of religion.
• Forecasts predict that cross-border smuggling, clan factionalism, armed militiamen and transnational terrorism would continue to sustain the security crisis in Mandera in the foreseeable future unless appropriate actions are taken.

Analysis of the Security Crisis in Mandera

On 7^th July 2015, a dozen or so armed clan militiamen struck two residential blocks housing quarry workers in SokoNgamia area adjacent to Mandera town. They used IEDs to gain entry upon which they executed 14 quarry workers in cold blood, and injured 11 more as about 125 others scampered for safety.

The next day, al-Shabaab, through its spokesperson, Sheikh AbdiAziz Abu Musab, claimed credit for the attack stating explicitly that the attackers targeted Christian males residing in the area.

Of note is the fact that Mandera County has been plagued by internecine clan conflicts largely driven by a blend of incompatible political, business and land interests.

This state of affairs has enabled al-Shabaab to permeate the region and ingrain itself in the socio-economic fabric of the county; with weaker clans seeking alliance with the Somalia-based Wahhabi terrorist organization in the clans’ quest to gain parity in county resource sharing.

Likewise, al-Shabaab has exploited the existing vulnerabilities to extend its terror campaign in Kenya by using clan militiamen as their proxies to destabilize North-eastern Kenya.

Several Marehan youths – frustrated by the fact that Mandera County is dominated by two competing clans; Garre and Degodia – decided to form militias and seek al-Shabaab’s backing in their quest to forcefully change the political and economic dynamics of the region.

These militiamen are suspected of being entirely involved in the July 7 killings where they acted as Al-Shabaab proxies. To gain legitimacy for their actions, the militiamen have endeavored to cloaktheir criminal actions and sectarian violence in Mandera under the disguise of religion.

Nonetheless, such militia activities risks imperiling the development and progress of the county; and appropriate measures must be put in place to stem such retrogressive prospects.

This analysis was created and Authored by Avraham ben Adam