A multi-agency task force is actively pursuing a suspected terrorist group responsible for shooting and injuring a motorist in Disso, Garissa County.
The victim, who survived the attack, told authorities that the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon along the Hagadera-Garissa road. As they approached Dadere junction in Fafi sub-county, a group of men dressed in military uniforms stopped their vehicle and opened fire.
The other passengers rushed the injured person to the Disso police camp, where they reported the attack. They told police the gang had attempted to stop them, but they continued to drive away.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the upper right arm. The vehicle, which was carrying suspected contraband, was damaged with bullet holes in both the windscreen and the right passenger window.
The injured individual was transferred to Garissa County Hospital, where they received treatment and were admitted in stable condition.
Authorities have launched an operation to track down the attackers, believed to be either local militia or al-Shabaab militants who cross the porous Kenya-Somalia border. These gangs are suspected of being behind several recent attacks in the area.
Police have stepped up operations in the region to disrupt any plans by terrorist groups to establish bases and carry out further attacks. These efforts are part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations in North Eastern Kenya, which have been successful in preventing additional attacks and ensuring the safety of local residents, who have pledged increased cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
The region has faced repeated militant assaults, particularly from al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based extremist group. These militants frequently cross into Kenya from Somalia, where instability has persisted since the collapse of the government in 1991.
Kenyan security forces, including troops stationed in Somalia, have been actively pursuing and engaging the militants, with many of the attackers neutralized in recent operations.