A group of suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Jabi Quick Response Unit Camp in Lafey Sub-County, Mandera County on Wednesday evening, triggering a heavy exchange of gunfire with officers on duty. No casualties were reported among security personnel.
The attack occurred at around 7pm when approximately 10 heavily armed militants approached the camp from the north-eastern direction and opened fire in an attempt to overrun the facility. Officers stationed at the camp responded immediately, repelling the assault before the attackers could breach the perimeter.
Intelligence sources indicate the raiders were well armed and moved in a coordinated formation before engaging officers at the installation. Security personnel at the Quick Response Unit held their ground throughout the exchange.
Mandera County sits along Kenya’s border with Somalia and Ethiopia and has historically been a flashpoint for Al-Shabaab incursions targeting both civilian and security installations. Wednesday’s attack is the latest in a pattern of raids on police infrastructure in the region.
No arrests have been confirmed. It remains unclear whether any of the attackers sustained injuries during the gunfire exchange or retreated back across the border.