Throughout and after the holy month of Ramadhan 2019, the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia Harakat Al-Shabaab Mujahideen movement (HSM) increased presence along the Kenya-Somalia border through deployment of fighters in small groups continue to be reported.
Intelligence and open sources reports show increased militants’ presence on key villages, along the borderline with Somalia particularly in areas with tactical and strategic advantage whereby the fighters can conduct surprise attacks against army men, police, and the civilian and be able either to hide among the locals or are able to flee into Somalia. Reports indicate suspected Al-Shabaab militants were on Sunday spotted along Rhamu-Elwak Road prompting public transport on vehicles plying the Mandera-Nairobi route to be suspended. Citing this incident there is need to beef and comb security in Bambo, Chabi-bar, Selukatiffa, Rhamu and Elwak areas for preemptive measure.
On Saturday 8, June 2019, team of police officers missed a deadly blast after a landmine that had been set on the road went off on the highly dangerous Mandera-Rhamu-Elwak road. The police team was escorting public buses. The Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) had been planted on the side of the road with a timer set targeting hit the police vehicle.
Authorities affirmed that buses that were heading to Mandera from Nairobi and Wajir would remain in Elwak town until the route is combed and declared secure for passage. Al-Shabaab fighters have in a number of incidents targeted public vehicles in Kenya northeastern prefectures, whereby passengers especially non-Muslims and non-locals have suffered the brunt of the militants.
On Monday 3, June 2019, at night, the Somali based, Al-Shabaab militants clashed with Police in Dawaduba, Fino in Mandera County that left one National Police Reservist (NPR) killed and another injured in a clash. The clash also led to the death of one terror suspect.
Thursday 6, June 2019, Al-Shabaab militants are reported to had robbed two medical facilities near Kenya-Somalia border. The militants descended on Hawadley and Gololey villages where they reportedly ransacked medical equipment and drugs.
In April, the militant group fighters abducted two Cuban doctors working in Mandera and crossed them over to Gedo region in Somalia where they are reportedly giving treatment to locals in the region according to open source reports.
Bands of Al-Shabaab fighters armed with PKM machine guns, rocket propelled grenade launchers, and AK-47 riffles in the past week were sighted by herders in Lamu crossing over into the vast Boni forest, a signal of possible attacks to civilians, security forces and their outposts close the vicinity of the forest.
In another recent incident, KDF army troops foiled an attempt by the militants to run over their camp in Afmadow. During the encounter, several militants were reportedly killed.
Al-Shabaab hopes, by employing more attacks against army men, police, and the civilian, the Kenyan troops will abandon their role in AMISOM and withdrawal from Somalia.
While the terror militants seem unconscious of the fact that the Kenyan security agencies are aware of their presence, movement and position, the key challenge of swiftly destroying their local cells and capability has seen overtime, the rapid deployment of army troops and even police reservists to secure the border areas and subsequently preempt the threat they pose.
