Eight Border Patrol Officers Injured in Garissa IED Attack

Eight officers from the Border Patrol Unit were injured on Tuesday when their armoured vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Kiwanja-Yumbis area of Fafi Sub-county, Garissa.

The incident occurred about 10 kilometres from Yumbis town while the officers were on routine patrol. Authorities suspect the device was planted by Al-Shabaab militants active in the region.

Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo confirmed the attack, saying all injured officers are receiving medical care and are in stable condition. A joint security operation has since been launched to track the attackers and clear the area of additional threats.

The blast highlights persistent insecurity in Kenya’s northeastern region, where militants continue to stage attacks. Similar incidents have occurred in recent months, targeting security convoys in Garissa, Mandera, and Lamu counties.

On July 8, seven police officers were wounded after their vehicle hit an IED along the Gadudia–Laga Road in Mandera East. The explosion damaged the rear of the vehicle, leaving six officers with injuries to the legs, hands, and upper body.

Earlier, on May 8, three officers narrowly escaped an IED attack in Dadaab, Garissa County, after explosives were planted on a road used by security patrols.

Security analysts say Al-Shabaab relies heavily on IEDs because they are cost-effective, hard to detect, and allow militants to avoid direct confrontation. The devices are often hidden along roads or in everyday objects, making prevention a major challenge for security forces operating in remote, sparsely monitored areas.

Kenya’s security agencies remain on high alert as counter-terror operations intensify to curb the growing threat of IED attacks in the volatile northeastern region.