<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NAIROBI, Kenya,Dec 17\u2014 In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Kenyan security officers fought a prolonged and high-intensity battle to repel a coordinated Al-Shabaab assault on a residential compound housing Chinese nationals in Elwak, Mandera County, an operation that security officials say prevented a potentially deadly siege.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The attack unfolded at about 1.15am when an estimated 40 suspected Al-Shabaab militants attempted to breach the compound, located roughly one kilometre north-west of Elwak Police Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Officers manning the facility immediately engaged the attackers, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire that lasted close to 90 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Upon arrival, a heavy exchange of gunfire ensued between the militia and police officers who were on guard duty at the residence,” read a police report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The firefight lasted for approximately one hour and thirty minutes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to security briefings, the militants infiltrated Elwak Town using border cutline routes from the Buraache area, arriving in four vehicles before taking up positions opposite the compound\u2019s main gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armed with AK-47 rifles, PKM machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and a directional mine, the attackers blew up the main gate and damaged sections of the perimeter wall in an apparent bid to force their way inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Officers guarding the residence held their positions as the militants intensified the assault, calling in reinforcements as the firefight escalated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Border Police Unit (BPU) officers responded, tightening the security ring around the compound and preventing the attackers from overrunning the facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the height of the battle, an armoured personnel carrier deployed to the scene came under sustained fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three of its tyres were hit by bullets and RPG fragments, briefly immobilising the vehicle but not halting the defensive operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senior officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU), the Kenya Police Service and other formations later arrived to coordinate the response and assess the aftermath of the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll the foreign nationals at the residence were secured and accounted for,\u201d police said, confirming that none of the Chinese workers was injured during the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While no casualties were reported among the occupants, the compound and project equipment sustained significant damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several vehicles were riddled with bullets or had their windscreens shattered, a grader and water bowser were damaged, and a motorcycle was completely burnt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main gate and security barrier bore the brunt of the explosives used by the attackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In total, 22 officers drawn from various security units defended the compound, expending nearly 3,000 rounds of ammunition as they pushed back the militants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By dawn, security forces had regained full control of the area and restored calm in Elwak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Joint teams have since launched pursuit operations in the surrounding areas to track down the attackers, who escaped under the cover of darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The failed raid mirrors previous Al-Shabaab attempts to target foreign nationals and infrastructure projects in Kenya\u2019s north-eastern region, and underscores the continued volatility along the Kenya\u2013Somalia border.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Armed with AK-47 rifles, PKM machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and a directional mine, the attackers blew up the main gate and damaged sections of the perimeter wall in an apparent bid to force their way inside.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14289,"featured_media":787551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2366,1,4625,26],"tags":[3132,26981,1981,491,2095,423],"coauthors":[2146],"class_list":["post-787612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-kenya","category-national-news","category-top-stories","tag-al-shabaab","tag-elwak","tag-featured","tag-kenya","tag-mandera","tag-terrorism"],"yoast_head":"\n