Eleven Al-Shabaab militants have been killed following a major intelligence-led security operation targeting a terrorist hideout near the Kenya-Somalia border in the Esagur Cutline area.
The operation, conducted by the Special Operations Group (SOG) with support from aerial assets, targeted a makeshift camp believed to have been used by the militants to coordinate planned attacks against communities in Mandera County.
According to security sources, intelligence reports indicated that approximately 30 militants had assembled at the camp and were in the final stages of preparing an assault on a border village before security forces launched the operation.
The raid resulted in the deaths of 11 militants, while seven others sustained serious injuries. The remaining fighters escaped across the border into Somalia.
During the operation, security officers recovered three machine guns and over 400 rounds of ammunition, dealing a significant blow to the group’s operational capacity.
Investigators also seized a cache of documents, including religious tax receipts allegedly used by Al-Shabaab to collect levies from residents in areas under its control.
Security officials say the recovered documents provide further evidence that the militant group continues to maintain an organized taxation system and checkpoint administration across parts of Somalia, enabling it to generate revenue, procure supplies, and finance terrorist activities.
Authorities believe the intelligence gathered from the seized materials will support ongoing investigations into the group’s financial networks, logistical operations, and plans to stage attacks inside Kenya.
The operation is part of intensified counterterrorism efforts by Kenyan security agencies aimed at dismantling terrorist cells operating along the porous Kenya-Somalia border.
Security agencies have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations to prevent cross-border incursions, disrupt terrorist networks, and enhance the safety of residents in Mandera County and the wider northeastern region.
Officials said Kenya’s security forces remain vigilant and resolute in protecting the country from the threat of terrorism while strengthening measures to safeguard lives and maintain peace along the border.
By Adan Mohamed
