KDF Special Forces kill five Al-Shabaab militants in Boni Forest operation
The operation also resulted in the recovery of a cache of weapons and supplies, including AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers with warheads, ammunition, solar panels, tents and materials used in IEDs.
Five suspected Al-Shabaab militants were on Tuesday killed by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Special Forces in an intelligence-led ambush at Lacta Mangai inside Boni Forest, Lamu County, where a makeshift militant camp was uncovered.
In a statement, KDF said the patrol team discovered the camp and staged the ambush, killing five suspects on the spot, while others escaped with injuries.
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The military reported that the operation also resulted in the recovery of a cache of weapons and supplies, including AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers with warheads, ammunition, solar panels, tents and materials used in making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“Operation Amani Boni remains committed to restoring lasting peace and security in the Boni region, ensuring that families can live without fear,” the statement read.
KDF further appealed to the public to support security operations by reporting suspicious activity.
“Together, we will exterminate terrorism and ensure a peaceful Boni,” it added.
The ambush comes amid growing concerns that Al-Shabaab fighters are trying to establish new bases in the dense Boni Forest, which straddles the Kenya–Somalia border. Lamu has for years been a frontline in Kenya’s war against the militant group.
On July 15, three KDF soldiers were killed and seven others injured when their vehicle struck an IED along the Kiunga–Sankuri road in Lamu County. The troops had been transporting colleagues when the explosive detonated in the Badaah area.
The county has also witnessed some of the deadliest Al-Shabaab attacks, including the June 15, 2014, coordinated raids in Mpeketoni and Kibaoni, where more than 90 people were massacred.
To counter the threat, the government has rolled out multi-agency operations such as Operation Amani Boni and Operation Linda Boni to flush out militants from their hideouts.
Despite years of security campaigns, militants continue to carry out sporadic ambushes and roadside bombings. More than 100 security personnel have been killed in IED attacks across Lamu, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties in recent years.
The persistent insecurity has strained development efforts and left many residents in fear of renewed violence.
Security officials, however, maintain that the militants’ networks are steadily being dismantled and that efforts to restore lasting peace and stability in the region remain on course.
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