Kenyan police killed 20 Al Shabaab terrorists in a gun battle along the border with Somalia on Thursday.
The heavily armed terrorists launched the assault, sparking an armed clash with Kenya’s elite Special Operations Group (SOG) that lasted several hours.
The Kenyan specialized force’s well-coordinated efforts resulted in the elimination of all 20 terrorists, the police said, adding that eight officers were also injured in the attack by terrorists.
The injured officers are being treated at a local hospital and will be airlifted to Nairobi once stabilized, Onyango said, adding that police recovered weapons from the crime scene, including a submachine gun and an RPG.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki announced that the reopening of border points with Somalia would be delayed due to concerns about the increased risk posed by Al Shabaab terrorists’ activities.
Al Shabaab terrorists have carried out numerous attacks in Kenya after crossing the porous Kenya-Somalia border.
Their attack on Garissa University College in 2015 remains one of their most notorious acts on Kenyan soil, claiming the lives of over 130 students.
Following Kenya’s decision to deploy troops to Somalia in 2011 in response to a surge in kidnappings, the militant group Al Shabaab retaliated by launching a series of attacks against Kenya. They have consistently issued threats of further violence, emphasizing the withdrawal of Kenyan troops as a condition for peace.