Security teams are on high alert after suspected al-Shabaab militants separately attacked two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) teams in Garissa and Lamu.
Officials said no one was injured in both attacks.
In the first incident, KDF personnel providing security along the LAPSSET corridor in Garissa County were probed by the suspected al-Shabaab militants armed with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).
The incident occurred on Saturday, September 19, 2026, along a section of the road in Bura East Sub-County, officials on the ground said.
The KDF officers were conducting routine security patrols when they came under attack from suspected members of al-Shabaab.
The officers responded to the incident, prompting the suspected militants to flee towards Degwardey village.
KDF support teams were subsequently mobilised to comb the area and search for the suspected attackers.
No casualties were reported during the incident.
Elsewhere, the militants launched a brief probing attack on a KDF camp at Bodhei Junction in Lamu county on Saturday morning.
According to officials, the incident occurred on September 19, when an unknown number of suspected militants approached the camp.
The attackers reportedly fired two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), accompanied by rapid rifle fire, targeting the KDF camp.
The attack lasted approximately two minutes before the militants were repulsed, witnesses said.
Officials said there were no reported casualties or injuries among security personnel or civilians.
Security officers are expected to assess the area and investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, including the identity and movement of the suspected militants.
The incidents are the latest in a series that have been happening in the region amid operations.
Last week, officials said security operations were mounted after suspected al-Shabaab militants attempted to attack an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) camp in Elram, Mandera county, but were repulsed by security officers.
A similar incident happened at a General Service Unit camp in Kiunga, Lamu county. Police officials said no injuries were reported in both incidents.
Officials said the first incident occurred on September 10, 2026, at the ASTU Elram Camp.
The al-Shabaab militants had been spotted at Chabicha Hills, heading towards the camp. The police had already taken defensive positions when the militants launched a probing attack from the eastern side of the camp.
Police said the attackers used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK-47 rifles from a distance of approximately 230 meters from the officers’ defensive positions.
The officers responded swiftly and managed to repulse the attackers. No casualties were reported.
Security officers were expected to remain vigilant as investigations and efforts to establish the identities and movements of the suspected militants continued.
Police said a similar probing attack occurred on a General Service Unit (GSU) camp in Milimani, Lamu East Sub-County.
The incident occurred on September 10, 2026.
The attackers fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and several rounds of rifle ammunition at the camp for a few minutes.
The officers responded swiftly and managed to repulse the suspected militants.
No injuries were reported in the attack. Officials said the area remained on high alert as security officers continued monitoring the situation.
They come amid persistent security concerns along Kenya’s coastal border with Somalia, where al-Shabaab militants have previously carried out attacks targeting security personnel and civilians.
The encounters come amid continued security concerns along Kenya’s northern border, where security agencies have stepped up patrols and surveillance to deter cross-border attacks by suspected al-Shabaab militants.
Police and military officers are expected to maintain heightened vigilance in the area as security operations continue, officials said.
The incidents are the latest of attacks targeting security agents and installations in the region. Officials say the security operations in the area have been intensified to deter further attacks.
The probing attacks have been on the rise in the past months amid fears there are plans for a large-scale attack on the security installations.
The attack underscores the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab militants operating along Kenya’s porous border with Somalia despite sustained counterterrorism operations by Kenyan security forces.
The area has witnessed repeated cross-border incursions targeting security personnel, communication infrastructure and public transport in recent years.
Kenya deployed the Kenya Defence Forces into Somalia under Operation Linda Nchi on October 14, 2011, following a series of cross-border attacks and kidnappings that threatened the country’s security and tourism sector.