Al-Shabaab kills construction workers in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya - Al-Shabaab militants have yet again struct in the republic of Kenya, amid ongoing crackdown within the East Africa nation, targeting the Al-Qaeda linked group which controls large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

Media reports indicate the Al-Shabaab fighters killed four construction workers, injured two in an attack in Lamu, Kenya on Friday. The coastal county has been a hot spot for the militants due to its proximity to Somalia where the militants have a huge base.

Local media reported that attackers also burnt two vehicles as they caused havoc across the village. Reports indicate that military manning the village were elsewhere for various operations when the militants carried out the attack, leading to questions about the safety of locals.

Through proxy media sites, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that it has killed six Kenyans and one Chinese in the attack which took place in the vicinity of Majengo, Lamu County. Chinese companies have lately been winning construction tenders in Kenya.

Kenya media reported one Chinese national was missing but no confirmation yet from Kenya police. It's the first time Al-Shabaab is killing a foreign national within the county since 2020 when the militants attacked the Manda Bay base controlled by US Africa Command.

Despite a number of security operations by Kenya aimed at clearing Al-Shabaab from Boni Forest, the group’s Jaysh Ayman unit continues to operate it. Unit commander Maalim Ayman was designated by the US for allegedly planning the Jan 2020 attack on Manda Bay which killed three Americans.

A report published by the Wall Street Journal claimed the US Africa Command soldiers manning Manda Bay were not adequately equipped to deal with immediate threats in the county. Five Al-Shabaab terrorists from different countries were killed during the attack.

The East African nation has been laying strategies to flush out the militants who control huge swathes of rural central and southern Somalia. The US is also contemplating sending more troops to Somalia, over a year after the unprecedented exit.

GAROWE ONLINE