Five police officers from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) were killed and five others seriously injured in a deadly ambush by al Shabaab militants in the dense Boni Forest. The officers were tracking suspected terrorists in the Lehelo area when they came under heavy fire after a two- day pursuit, prompted by intelligence reports that the militants were planning a large- scale attack from their hideout.

The injured officers were airlifted to Nairobi for specialized medical treatment. Authorities have withheld the names of the fallen officers until their families have been officially notified. A joint multi- agency security operation has since been launched in the area to pursue the attackers, who are believed to have suffered casualties in the fierce gun battle.

This latest incident underscores the continued threat posed by al Shabaab militants, particularly in the border regions of Kenya. Boni Forest, which extends across Lamu, Garissa, and Tana River counties, has long served as a key corridor for terrorist infiltration, recruitment, and planning.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen visited the injured officers at Nairobi West Hospital on Labour Day and strongly condemned the attack. He emphasized the government' s commitment to intensifying counter- terrorism operations in the region. He was accompanied by Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat (Kenya Police Service) and Gilbert Masengeli (Administration Police Service).