Elite Kenyan Forces Foil Planned Al-Shabaab Bomb Attack, Kill 8 Terrorists

Kenya’s elite Special Operations Group (SOG) on Monday, October 27, thwarted a major Al-Shabaab terror plot after neutralising eight militants who were attempting to plant Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the Welmerer–Yumbia road in Garissa County.

In a statement, the SOG confirmed that the operation was launched after locals tipped off authorities about suspicious activity in the area.

“Our Elite Special Operations Group (SOG) stopped 8 Alshabaab terrorists who were attempting to set up Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the Welmerer-Yumbia area in Garissa,” the unit stated.

According to the SOG, the quick response followed intelligence shared by vigilant residents who spotted the group preparing to plant the explosives.

Collage of an improvised explosive device (IED) seized during an operation on October 27, 2025. /COUNTER TERRORISM POLICING KE

A fierce gunfight ensued, resulting in the deaths of all eight militants. Officers recovered several assembled IEDs intended for attacks on civilians and security personnel using the busy route.

“The brave officers engaged the terrorists and managed to recover assembled IEDs, which were to be used to attack our mothers, children, and security officers using Welmerer–Yumbis road,” SOG said.

The unit praised locals for their cooperation, urging continued collaboration in the fight against terrorism.

The swift response underscores the growing importance of community intelligence in preventing terror attacks in Kenya’s northeastern region, which has remained a target for Al-Shabaab incursions.

The officers’ swift response prevented what could have been another deadly terror incident in a region that has recently seen a rise in militant attacks targeting security convoys and civilian vehicles.

In July, three Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers were killed and several others injured after their vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol along the Sakuri–Kiunga Main Supply Route (MSR).

Security reports indicated that the troops were conducting a routine operation when the explosion occurred.

Just a month earlier, four suspected Al-Shabaab fighters were gunned down in Garissa County after security forces tracked them using drones.

A police report later confirmed that the suspects were neutralised in the Najo and Guracho areas, with officers recovering AK-47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, ammunition, and communication radios from the scene.

In a separate operation in August, KDF troops killed at least five Al-Shabaab militants inside Boni Forest in Lamu County. According to military officials, the militants were neutralised during an intelligence-led patrol in the Lacta Mangai area, while others fled with injuries.