The Special Operations Group (SOG) in Kenya successfully foiled an attempted crossing of the Kenyan border by Al-Shabab fighters in the Mandera region. The SOG, an elite, intelligence-led unit within the National Police Service, carried out a planned operation after receiving advance intelligence reports. According to the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) in Kenya, the Kenyan security forces launched an ambush attack on the Al-Shabab group during Eid-Al-Fitr celebrations. They used surveillance drones to monitor the situation from the air and intercepted the fighters in the outskirts of Sarira settlement in Mandera. Two Al-Shabab fighters were eliminated and four others were seriously injured, while the rest escaped back into Somalia after heavy gunfire was opened. This operation coincides with the Kenyan government’s plan to reopen the border post in Mandera in April of this year. Kenyan President William Ruto has previously stated that the long closure of the border has had a negative impact on families and businesses, and it is not suitable to keep the Mandera communities separated from their relatives and businesses in Somalia. Ruto has also pledged to heighten security by doubling the number of troops deployed at the border to protect the people and their businesses. He has called on the people and officials in the region to cooperate with security agencies and provide information that could help prevent security threats. The border between Kenya and Somalia has been closed since 2011 due to frequent attacks by Al-Shabab fighters. Previous attempts to reopen the border have been unsuccessful.
