A roadside explosion has claimed the lives of two police officers in Garissa County, with the Hagadera police division commander among the victims, after their vehicle struck a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) along the Saretho–Dadaab Main Supply Route on Friday morning.
The officers were travelling in a Land Cruiser attached to Hagadera Police Station when the blast occurred at approximately 6am on October 9. The explosion killed the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) of Hagadera and the vehicle's driver, while leaving the vehicle badly damaged.
Witnesses said security personnel who rushed to the scene after the explosion were unable to locate the suspected attackers. Initial assessments pointed to al-Shabaab militants or their local sympathisers, although investigations were still underway to establish who was behind the bombing.
Authorities had yet to determine whether the attackers had information about the vehicle's movements or had planted the explosive in anticipation of a security patrol passing through the area.
Security operations were intensified following the incident as officers sought to identify and apprehend those responsible. The attack has renewed concerns over the safety of roads used by police and other government personnel in northeastern Kenya, where roadside bombs remain a threat to security operations.
The region has experienced repeated attacks targeting security officers, particularly along routes near the Kenya-Somalia border. The latest incident comes months after another deadly bombing in Mandera County left six Kenyan security personnel dead.
Mandera attack claimed six security officers
On July 28, five officers from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) and a National Police Reservist (NPR) were killed when their vehicle struck an explosive device in the El-Raamo area of Kutulo, along the Alungu Main Supply Route near the Kenya-Somalia border.
The explosion was followed by a gunfight between the security personnel and suspected militants, resulting in the deaths of all six officers.
According to security sources, the device had allegedly been planted on July 21, with suspected attackers believed to have positioned themselves to ambush the patrol.
The incident demonstrated the danger posed by roadside explosives and ambushes against security teams operating in border areas. The latest bombing in Garissa has added to concerns about the vulnerability of police vehicles travelling along key routes in the region.
Kenya steps up efforts to curb militant attacks
Kenya has increased security deployments and introduced surveillance technology in northeastern counties as part of efforts to stop militant incursions, safeguard communities and protect vital supply routes.
However, continued attacks have affected movement in border areas, put local livelihoods at risk and made it harder to deliver public services to communities near the frontier.
Al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based Islamist militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda, has repeatedly attacked targets in Kenya in response to the country's military presence in Somalia and its participation in efforts to combat the organisation.
Kenya launched Operation Linda Nchi on October 14, 2011, deploying troops into Somalia after a series of kidnappings involving foreign nationals in Kenya, including tourists along the coast. The operation marked a major escalation in Kenya's military campaign against the group.
Somalia has endured decades of conflict and political instability since the collapse of President Siad Barre's government in 1991. While successive administrations have worked to restore state institutions and rebuild security forces, Al-Shabaab continues to control or contest territory and carry out attacks.
Kenyan security agencies have maintained operations along the border to limit militant infiltration and reduce threats to civilians and security personnel.
The killing of the two officers in Garissa is likely to intensify attention on the protection of police patrols and government vehicles using the region's road network. Investigations into Friday's explosion were continuing as security teams pursued leads on the suspected perpetrators and worked to prevent further attacks.