Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab attack near the Somali border May 6

Event

On Sunday, May 6, a Kenyan military vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in Garissa country near the Somali town of Dhobley. According to a Kenyan military spokesperson, the blast killed at least seven soldiers and seriously wounded two others. Although Al-Shabaab is suspected of having carried out the attack, no group has officially claimed responsibility as of Monday, May 7.

On Friday, May 4, the US Embassy in Nairobi issued a security alert, warning all US citizens of potential attacks by extremist militants ahead of the relocation of the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Context

Al-Shabaab regularly carries out attacks near the porous border with Somalia, where the group is based, as well as in coastal areas popular with tourists and the capital Nairobi. Al-Shabaab has been effectively at war with the Kenyan government since October 2011, when Kenyan forces engaged in the international fight against the terrorist group. Al-Shabaab, which seeks to topple Somalia's government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Sharia law, says it will continue to carry out attacks in Kenya until Nairobi withdraws its troops from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Advice

Individuals in Kenya are advised to avoid the above area, remain vigilant, monitor the situation, and adhere to instructions issued by the local authorities.

Due to these and other security concerns, many Western governments advise against travel to a number of regions in the country, including areas bordering Somalia (parts of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, and Lamu counties), Ethiopia, and South Sudan, as well as nonessential travel to the city of Mombasa. Several Nairobi neighborhoods, including Eastleigh and Pangani, are also best avoided.