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Two Al-Shabaab militants killed in Boni Forest

Boni Forest

Kenyan security officers comb Boni Forest in Lamu County for Al-Shabaab terrorists during the Linda Boni Operation.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Two Al-Shabaab militants were on Saturday killed by security agencies in the ongoing multi-agency Operation Linda Amani Boni in Boni Forest in Lamu.

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said the two terrorists were gunned down by SOG team at Mangulo area of Mararani inside the dense Boni Forest.

"This morning, two Al-Shabaab terrorists were gunned down by our security forces undertaking the Operation Linda Amani Boni in Boni Forest. Currently, the operation to flush out more suspected terrorists from Boni Forest is still ongoing," said Mr Macharia.

He called upon the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious characters or activities in their neighbourhood.

Others fled

"Our team intercepted the terrorists and killed two on the spot. Several others fled but we're pursuing them," said an officer.

The incident comes barely three weeks after seven Kenya Defense Forces soldiers were killed while several others were injured when their vehicle ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) suspected to have been planted on the road by Al-Shabaab militants in Baure in Boni Forest in Lamu on May 18.

In September, 2015, the national government launched the Linda Boni Operation, currently known as Linda Amani Boni to flush out Al-Shabaab insurgents believed to be hiding in Boni Forest.

On May 3 this year, two people were killed while one was critically injured when a vehicle they were travelling in ran over an IED around Border Point 27 in Lamu East.

Usalama Camp

On March 23, one person died when a water bowser headed to Usalama Camp, where the Kenya-Somalia border wall is being constructed, ran over an IED.

The vehicle was ferrying water to be used for the ongoing construction of the border wall.

In January 2016, five police officers were killed while three were injured when their lorry ran over an IED   on the Hindi-Kiunga Road in Lamu.

The officers were heading to Usalama Camp when the incident happened just a few kilometres from Milimani which is inside the dense Boni Forest.

On June 14, 2015, over 60 Al-Shabaab militia ambushed the KDF at their Baure camp near Bar’goni in Lamu at around 5.45am.

About 18 militants and two KDF were killed and an assortment of weapons including a video camera recovered.