Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Wajir county June 17

Event

On Sunday, June 17, a Kenyan police vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Bojigaras area of Wajir county. According to a Kenyan government spokesperson, the blast killed at least eight police officers and wounded three others. Although Al-Shabaab is suspected of having carried out the attack, no group has officially claimed responsibility as of June 17.

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.