Saturday, June 13, 2026 (Baidoa Online) -Kenyan special forces have launched a coordinated security operation in Mandera County following an attack on a military base in Lafey Sub-County, in an incident believed to have been carried out by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

Security officials said the attackers targeted a forward operating camp housing Kenyan troops along the porous Kenya–Somalia border. Three soldiers were injured in the raid, according to preliminary security reports. The condition of the injured soldiers has not yet been officially disclosed.

Escalating cross-border insecurity

The latest incident comes amid a series of renewed security concerns in Kenya’s north-eastern region, where Al-Shabaab militants have previously carried out attacks on security installations, transport routes, and civilian targets.

Mandera County, which shares a long and difficult-to-police border with Somalia, has remained one of the most vulnerable areas in Kenya’s counter-terrorism efforts. Security analysts say the terrain and cross-border movement patterns continue to provide opportunities for militant infiltration.

Security operations intensified

Kenyan authorities said additional special forces units have been deployed to track down those responsible for the Lafey attack and to prevent further incursions.

Officials added that operations are focused on border corridors frequently used by militants crossing between Somalia and Kenya. Intelligence-led patrols and aerial surveillance have reportedly been increased in the area.

Regional context

The Somalia-based armed group Al-Shabaab has maintained an insurgency in the Horn of Africa for more than a decade, frequently carrying out attacks in Somalia and launching cross-border raids into neighbouring Kenya.

The group has previously targeted security bases in Mandera and other border counties, prompting repeated military responses from Kenyan forces operating under national counter-terrorism frameworks and regional security cooperation arrangements.

Ongoing situation

Authorities have urged residents in border communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity as operations continue.