May 9, 2026 · Mandera County, Kenya
Armed attackers suspected to be al-Shabaab militants intercepted a 14-seater passenger vehicle along the Mandera–Arabia route on Saturday morning, killing at least six people and injuring several others.
At least six people were shot dead and others injured after gunmen attacked a passenger vehicle in Mandera East Constituency on Saturday morning. Police confirmed the incident, noting that while the motive had not been immediately established, officials suspect the attackers were al-Shabaab militants.
The 14-seater matatu, which had departed Mandera town heading for Arabia town, was ambushed at Beer-Awayon village. Emergency medical teams responded swiftly, rushing the injured victims to Mandera Referral Hospital for treatment. Authorities have not yet released the identities of those killed.
The attack area lies near the Kenya-Somalia border — a stretch that has been frequently breached by al-Shabaab gunmen targeting both civilians and security forces.
Suspected IED targets security personnel in separate incident
In a separate but related security development, a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) detonated along the Elwak–Eresuki road in Mandera County on the morning of Thursday, May 7, in what authorities believe was a failed attempt to target security personnel. The officers targeted were guarding a government infrastructure project in the area.
According to police, the blast occurred near a borrow pit where marram is being extracted for the Horn of Africa Gateway Project. A joint patrol team comprising officers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Police Service (NPS) visited the scene and established that a directional IED had detonated along the road. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.
Security operations intensified
Security operations across Mandera County have since been intensified as investigations continue into those behind both attacks. The twin incidents underscore the persistent threat posed by militant activity along Kenya’s northeastern border region, where al-Shabaab has repeatedly targeted civilians and state infrastructure alike.
