NAIROBI (Somaliguardian) – At least five Kenyan soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in an ambush by suspected al-Shabaab militants in the dense Boni Forest in Lamu County, Daily Nation reported on Friday, as frustrations mount over the prolonged insurgency despite years of military operations and significant government expenditure.
Security officials said dozens of personnel were deployed to a suspected militant hideout inside the forest following intelligence reports, when they came under heavy fire from a large group of fighters, triggering an intense gun battle.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants are also believed to have sustained casualties, although the exact number remains unclear.
The latest attack has reignited criticism within security circles over the persistent presence of the al-Qaeda-linked group in the Boni enclave, despite extensive counter-insurgency patrols and investment in surveillance and military infrastructure.
Al-Shabaab, which is based in Somalia, has escalated its cross-border raids into Kenya in recent years even as it battles Somali army and allied clan militias in central Somalia.
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