NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan special forces killed five suspected Al-Shabab fighters and injured others during an operation in eastern Boni Forest, officials said Tuesday.
The troops uncovered and “neutralized” a makeshift camp during an intelligence-led patrol in the Lacta Mangai region, the Kenya Defence Forces said.
Weapons recovered included AK-47 rifles, RPG launchers with warheads, ammunition, tents, solar panels, and materials used for improvised explosive devices, the army said.
The military said Operation Amani Boni remains committed to restoring peace and improving security across the forested areas of Lamu County.
Amani Boni is a multi-agency effort targeting Al-Shabab militants and boosting safety along Kenya’s border with Somalia, especially in the Boni Forest region.
This comes days after the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi issued a travel advisory, warning American citizens of rising Al-Shabab threats in Kenya.
Kenya has suffered deadly attacks, including the 2013 Westgate Mall siege and the 2015 Garissa University massacre, which together left 215 people dead.
For over a decade, the al Qaeda-linked group has been battling to impose a hardline interpretation of Sharia law in Somalia.
Al-Shabab still holds large swaths of rural territory, including the Middle Jubba region, where its top leaders have been based since being driven out of Mogadishu in 2011.
