GARISSA, Kenya – Two police officers were killed and five others injured when a vehicle they were traveling in hit an improvised explosive device (IED) along the Liboi-Kulan road near the porous Kenya-Somalia border.
The Border Patrol Unit (BPU) vehicle, a Land Cruiser, was targeted by Somali-based militant group al-Shabaab, who planted the IED on the road before detonating it as the patrol approached.
One officer died instantly, while another succumbed to injuries later in hospital.
“This attack comes despite intensified security operations in the area aimed at curbing terror activities,” police said.
In October 2025, the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) intercepted eight al-Shabaab militants attempting to plant IEDs on the Welmerer-Yumbia road in Garissa.
The officers recovered the explosives, which were destroyed, though the militants escaped. Local communities have increasingly cooperated with police in identifying terror threats, officials said.
The latest attack is part of a pattern of violence by al-Shabaab, who exploit the porous border between Kenya and Somalia to carry out attacks.
Parts of Garissa have long been used as planning and transit points for the terror group, though persistent police operations have disrupted many planned attacks.
Earlier incidents include the killing of Constable Orwa in Wajir County on October 22, 2025, when he and colleagues were ambushed while responding to a shooting report. Al-Shabaab is believed to be responsible.
Kenya has a long history of counterterror operations against al-Shabaab, including Operation Linda Nchi in 2011, launched after the group kidnapped two Spanish aid workers at Dadaab refugee camp.
Subsequent operations, including Operation Sledge Hammer, enabled Kenyan forces to take control of strategic areas in southern Somalia, limiting the group’s cross-border operations.
Authorities have pledged to continue operations along the border to prevent further attacks and safeguard civilians and security personnel.
