Multi-agency security teams are actively pursuing a suspected terror group that shot and wounded a motorist in Disso, Garissa County, on Sunday afternoon.
The victim, who was traveling along the Hagadera-Garissa road, reported that their vehicle was ambushed near Dadere Junction in Fafi Sub-county.
A group of men dressed in military-style attire stopped the vehicle and opened fire.
The gunmen attempted to stop the car, but the driver defied their orders and fled the scene.
The driver and other occupants of the vehicle managed to rush the wounded motorist to the Disso Police Camp, where they reported the attack.
Police confirmed that the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the upper right arm.
The vehicle, which was reportedly transporting goods considered contraband, had two bullet holes one in the windscreen and another in the right passenger window.
The injured individual was promptly escorted to Garissa County Hospital, where they received treatment and were admitted in stable condition.
Authorities believe the gang behind the attack could be either local militia or al-Shabaab militants, who frequently cross the porous Kenya-Somalia border to carry out attacks.
The area has been a hotspot for such incidents, with terror groups targeting vehicles and infrastructure, especially on routes connecting to Somalia.
The multi-agency teams, including police and military units, are combing the region as part of ongoing efforts to root out terror groups operating along the border.
Security forces have ramped up operations in the wider North Eastern region, aiming to dismantle terrorist networks and prevent further attacks on civilians and security personnel.
Local communities have expressed their commitment to cooperating with authorities to combat the threat posed by militants.
This latest incident adds to a series of attacks in the region, where al-Shabaab militants have been active.
The terror group regularly crosses into Kenya from Somalia, where the government has been unstable since the fall of Siad Barre’s regime in 1991.
Al-Shabaab has been responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Mandera, Garissa, and other parts of the northern border region, where they plant explosives along security routes and stage ambushes.
Kenyan security forces, including troops stationed in Somalia as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), continue to pursue and suppress al-Shabaab operations.
These efforts have resulted in significant losses for the terror group, with dozens of militants killed in recent months.
However, the porous border remains a significant challenge for authorities, as militants continue to exploit local terrain and sympathizers to carry out their attacks.
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