A landmine blast killed four Kenyan security personnel and wounded 11 others on Wednesday. The explosion happened after their vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device on the outskirts of the Dadaab refugee camp, near the Somalia border.
The attack occurred along a key supply route in Garissa County. This region has suffered persistent cross-border attacks by Al Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group. The group has claimed responsibility for the latest bombing. The attack comes just days before Kenya’s national Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1.
A senior police officer at the scene spoke on condition of anonymity. He is not authorized to brief the media.
“The vehicle was on a routine patrol when it triggered the device. The explosion was massive. We have evacuated the injured to Garissa County Hospital, where they are receiving treatment,” the officer said.
Security officials at the blast site declined to provide further details. They said investigations had begun.
The blast underscores a worsening security situation in northeastern Kenya. Last week, police officers patrolling the same Garissa-Dadaab road intercepted a man carrying explosives. They arrested him. Analysts say Al Shabaab wants to destabilize the border region before the high-profile national event in nearby Wajir.
This marks the second major attack on this axis in recent months. In March, eight security officers died in a similar landmine strike. That blast occurred in the Bodhei area along the Garissa-Lamu border. The repeated use of landmines and IEDs shows a shift in militant tactics. They now target security convoys on remote, unpaved roads.
The wounded officers remain in the hospital. Local sources report that some are in critical condition. The Kenyan military has launched pursuit operations along the porous border.