At least one person lost his life and three others sustained serious injuries after suspected al-Shabaab militants ambushed a patrol vehicle in Garissa County on Thursday evening.
The attack took place at around 6 pm along the Hagadera–Biyamathobe road near Toka Junction. The victims, who were part of a joint patrol comprising National Police Reservists (NPR) and members of the Macawisley militia, came under heavy gunfire during their routine security operation.
Macawisley, a clan-based militia operating in northeastern Kenya and parts of Somalia, has been working in close collaboration with state security agencies to counter militant activities. Their presence has been crucial in supplementing government efforts to enhance stability in the volatile region.
During the ambush, one Macawisley fighter, identified as Mahammud Zeylici, was fatally shot. The group’s driver and two other patrol members suffered gunshot wounds and were immediately rushed to the local IRC hospital for treatment.
A fierce exchange of fire followed as NPR officers engaged the attackers, forcing them to retreat into nearby thickets. By the time reinforcement teams arrived, the assailants had fled, leaving behind shaken residents and heightened insecurity fears. Witnesses said the gunmen appeared heavily armed with assault rifles.
Security authorities have since launched a major operation in the area to track down the perpetrators. Intelligence reports had earlier indicated that militants had been sighted in the region and were plotting further assaults. The porous Kenya–Somalia border has often been exploited by the group to stage such cross-border attacks.
The incident underlines the continued threat al-Shabaab poses to security personnel, government officials, and civilians in northeastern Kenya. Despite years of counter-terror operations, including the landmark Operation Linda Nchi launched in October 2011, vast areas near the border remain susceptible to infiltration.
Kenya’s incursion into Somalia, later reinforced through its integration into the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), saw major successes such as the capture of Kismayo in 2012. This strategic port city was a vital financial hub for al-Shabaab, and its fall dealt the group a heavy blow.
Nevertheless, the insurgents remain resilient, capitalizing on Somalia’s prolonged instability and the lack of strong central governance since the 1991 overthrow of Siad Barre. For border communities in Garissa, this means continued vigilance and dependence on joint operations between formal security forces and local militias like the Macawisley.
