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Tuesday January 16, 2024
Kenyan police said on Monday that they have heightened security in Mandera County near the Somali border following credible intelligence reports that al-Shabab plans to carry out attacks in the region.
The police said in a security report that the deployment follows reports of movements of militants on Sunday evening from areas along the Kenya-Somalia border with the intention of carrying out terror attacks.
“The group is believed to be part of the same group that destroyed the Fincharo Safaricom mast a few days ago but is now joined by more to carry out their terror attacks,” the police said.
Al-Shabab militants have destroyed several communication masts in the past in a bid to cut police from immediate response.
According to the police, intelligence reports indicated that a large number of al-Shabab militants were sighted between Shimbir Fatuma and Kob Adadi in the Warido area.
Others were also sighted in close proximity to the Burmayo location along the same line, possibly targeting a police station, a Safaricom mast, and a security establishment there.
“They may also be planning a commemoration of the Elade attack on Jan. 15, 2016. All security agencies asked to be on high alert and deter their mission,” the police said.
The terrorist group killed an unknown number of Kenyan soldiers at a Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) base at Elade in the Gedo region of southern Somalia on Jan. 15, 2016.
Al-Shabab has vowed reprisal attacks in the country, mainly targeting security forces in border towns of northern Kenya, where dozens of people have been killed in landmine and grenade attacks blamed on the militant group.
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