Gunmen ambush and kill 8 people in Mandera

Gunmen ambushed and killed at least eight people, including police officers and road construction workers, in an attack targeting a security vehicle escorting workers along the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey Road project in Mandera County. The attack occurred on Tuesday morning at Koromey, near Hagarsu along Arabia Road. Armed assailants reportedly opened fire on a security vehicle accompanying engineers and other staff working on the road construction project. Seven people died on the spot, police said.

According to police, five of those killed were engineers involved in the road construction works, while two were Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) attached to the security team providing protection to the workers. The driver of the security vehicle was initially reported to have sustained critical gunshot injuries and was rushed to Mandera County Teaching and Referral Hospital (MCTRH). Subsequent reports indicated that he succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the facility.

The attackers specifically targeted the security escort accompanying the construction team, raising fresh concerns over the safety of workers involved in infrastructure projects in the volatile region. The area is near the Kenya-Somalia border, which is frequently breached by the al-Shabaab terror group for attacks in Kenya. The Mandera-Arabia-Lafey road project is a key infrastructure undertaking in the region, with the latest attack highlighting the security challenges facing construction teams operating in areas prone to armed attacks.

Police said tension had been rising in the area amid fears of attacks by the terror group. For instance, at the weekend, the militants simultaneously attacked Hulugho Police Station and a multi-agency security camp in Garissa County in an overnight assault. The attacks occurred at around 1.20am on November 7, 2026, targeting Hulugho Police Station and the Gesreb SOG Camp in Hulugho Sub-County.

According to police, three suspected militants fired three rounds from an AK rifle towards Hulugho Police Station from the northern direction. At the same time, the Gesreb SOG Camp, which hosts a multi-agency security team, came under sustained gunfire from a PKM machine gun fired from the southern direction. Security personnel at both installations swiftly responded to the attacks, successfully repulsing the assailants and thwarting their attempts, police said.

Security forces stationed at Damasa Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mandera County also repulsed an attempted attack by six suspected al-Shabaab militants who were spotted approaching the camp's defensive position. The incident occurred at around 10.30 pm after security personnel detected the suspected militants near the Kenya-Somalia border using a drone. According to police, the six suspects were identified approaching the defensive position, prompting security personnel to engage them using indirect fire.

A police officer confirmed the attack and indicated that more personnel had been sent to the area to pursue the gang. The situation is currently calm, with security agencies having intensified surveillance around the camp and its surrounding areas. The incident comes amid heightened security vigilance in the border region, where security forces continue operations against suspected al-Shabaab militants.

Key points

• The attack occurred near the Kenya-Somalia border, which is frequently breached by the al-Shabaab terror group for attacks in Kenya.