NAIROBI, Kenya May 2 – Five police officers were killed and five others injured in an ambush by al Shabaab militants in Boni Forest.
The officers, all from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG), were pursuing a group of suspected terrorists in the Lehelo area when they came under heavy gunfire. The ambush occurred after the team had spent two days tracking the militants following intelligence reports that they were planning a large-scale attack from their hideout deep in the forest.
Police said the injured officers were flown to Nairobi for specialized treatment. The identities of the slain officers have not been officially released, pending notification of their families.
A multi-agency operation has since been launched in the area to pursue the attackers, who are believed to have sustained casualties in the fierce exchange.
This latest attack highlights the persistent threat posed by al Shabaab, particularly in areas bordering Somalia. Boni Forest, which straddles parts of Lamu, Garissa, and Tana River counties, has long served as a corridor for militant infiltration and recruitment.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who visited wounded officers at Nairobi West Hospital on Labour Day, condemned the attack and said the government would intensify counter-terror operations in the region.
He was accompanied by Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat (KPS) and Gilbert Masengeli (APS).
“Our officers put their lives on the line every day to protect this country. We owe them not just gratitude but real support in terms of better welfare, equipment, and medical care,” Murkomen said.
He revealed that nine police officers were currently recovering from injuries sustained during recent operations, including in Kenya and Haiti, and confirmed that five had died in action in the past few weeks.
In recent months, al Shabaab militants have stepped up incursions into Kenyan territory, including a chilling incident earlier this year where armed fighters were reported to have lectured locals in Lamu on Islamic teachings, warning them against cooperating with security forces.
Security agencies have called on local residents to share information that could help track down the attackers and dismantle their support networks.
Authorities say operations will continue in Boni Forest until the threat is neutralized.
