The Somali based Islamic Fundamentalist and terrorist group, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen violent activities across the border with Kenya have increased in the period between June and July. Though unsuccessful, the attacks are a concern to security officials in the North Eastern Province of Kenya.
The terror group fired 2 mortars targeting a Kenya Defense Forces forward operating base (KDF-FOB) in El-Wak. The shells landed and detonated outside the secondary perimeter of the FOB. The terror group issued a statement through its social media channel Shahada News Agency claiming it shelled a Kenya Army outpost using mortars which is contrary to actual BDA. No one including Somali National Army Soldiers attached to the KDF AMISOM contingent in El-Wak were affected.
In Burahache, the jihadists fired 3 mortar shells targeting a Kenya Defense Forces forward operating base (KDF-FOB). The shells landed and detonated at the 1st scouting trench approximately half a kilometer away from the main FOB perimeter. The group had the previous day conducted another mortar attack targeting the Burahache KDF-FOB. The attacks are low scale. The mortar fire remains a low-scale threat to forces though it could morph to a threat if fired by experts.
Kidnapping of local elders and community stalwarts has steadily rose in the same period. The group’s intent is to weaken government security intelligence grip in the prefecture. The group continues to target persons who it blames of working with government intelligence units to collect and disseminate actionable intelligence against its operatives in the prefecture. The group continues to suffer setbacks as its capability to conduct attacks and its social influence diminish.
