At least eight people, including five engineers working on a major road project, have been killed after armed attackers ambushed a security convoy escorting construction workers in Mandera County, raising fresh concerns over the safety of infrastructure projects and security personnel in the Kenya-Somalia border region.
The Tuesday morning attack occurred at Koromey, near Hagarsu along the Arabia Road, where gunmen reportedly opened fire on a vehicle escorting engineers and other workers involved in the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey Road construction project.
Those killed include five road construction engineers, two Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) assigned to protect the team and a driver attached to the security vehicle.
A senior police officer confirmed the incident, saying additional security personnel had been deployed to the area to track down the attackers.
According to preliminary police reports, the gunmen appeared to have deliberately targeted the security escort accompanying the construction team.
The driver of the security vehicle was initially reported to have suffered critical gunshot injuries and was being rushed to Mandera County Teaching and Referral Hospital. He, however, succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the facility.
The killings have raised fresh fears over the safety of workers involved in infrastructure development in the region, particularly those operating under security escort in areas facing persistent threats from armed groups.
The incident comes days after suspected al-Shabaab militants launched attacks on security installations in Garissa and Mandera counties, prompting heightened security concerns along the border.
On November 7, suspected militants raided Hulugho Police Station and Gesreb Special Operations Group (SOG) Camp in Garissa County in separate attacks reported at around 1.20 am.
Police said three gunmen fired three rounds from an AK rifle towards Hulugho Police Station, while the multi-agency camp came under sustained gunfire from a PKM machine gun.
Officers stationed at the two installations returned fire, successfully repelling the attackers. No casualties or damage to property were reported in either incident.
In another security incident in Mandera, personnel stationed at Damasa Forward Operating Base thwarted an attempted attack by six suspected militants who were spotted approaching the camp using a surveillance drone at around 10.30 pm.
The officers responded with indirect fire, prompting the suspected attackers to return fire using AK-47 rifles and a PKM machine gun before retreating from the area.
No casualties were recorded during the incident, with security agencies reporting that surveillance had been stepped up around the camp and the situation remained calm.
The latest ambush adds to the security challenges facing communities, security officers and workers operating in Kenya's border counties, where suspected al-Shabaab militants have continued to threaten both civilians and security installations.