Kenya Foils Al-Shabaab T£rror Plot To K!ll Civilians, K!dnap Foreigners In Nairobi During Ramadan
Kenya Foils Al-Shabaab Terror Plot To Kill Civilians, Kidnap Foreigners In Nairobi During Ramadan
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Counter Terrorism Policing Kenya (CTP Kenya) disclosed that months of intelligence surveillance and covert operations led to the dismantling of a terror network operating within the Dadaab refugee camps.
Kenyan counter-terrorism authorities have announced the disruption of a major terror plot allegedly orchestrated by the Somalia-based extremist group, Al-Shabaab, aimed at carrying out mass-casualty attacks in the country’s capital, Nairobi.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Counter Terrorism Policing Kenya (CTP Kenya) disclosed that months of intelligence surveillance and covert operations led to the dismantling of a terror network operating within the Dadaab refugee camps.
According to the agency, security operatives recovered a cache of weapons and dangerous materials intended for attacks in Nairobi.
“Plans by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab to kill many Kenyans in Nairobi have once again been foiled by the intelligence agency,” the statement read.
Kenyan authorities said the operation uncovered arms and ammunition, including about 600 rounds of bullets, pistols, grenades, explosives, and illicit drugs allegedly prepared for coordinated attacks.
The counter-terrorism unit further revealed that suspects linked to the network were planning to strike during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a period that has historically been targeted by extremist groups seeking maximum public impact.
Investigators also uncovered alleged plans by the militants to kidnap foreign nationals and hijack vehicles as part of broader efforts to spread fear and destabilise the country’s security environment.
“Months of surveillance and covert intelligence gathering on a terror network operating within the Dadaab refugee camps led to the recovery of arms and ammunition including 600 bullets, pistols, grenades, explosives, and drugs all destined for targets in Nairobi,” the agency said.
The authorities credited the successful operation to sustained intelligence coordination and the efforts of security personnel working to prevent terrorist attacks across the country.
“Nairobi remains safe because of the brave young men and women in our security agencies who spend long hours tracking down dangerous terrorists and criminals,” the statement added.
The announcement comes amid continued security concerns in Kenya over threats posed by Al-Shabaab, which has carried out several deadly cross-border and domestic attacks in East Africa over the past decade, often targeting civilians, security installations, and public spaces.
Security agencies have not yet disclosed the number of suspects arrested or whether further operations are ongoing, but officials indicated investigations remain active as authorities work to dismantle remaining cells linked to the network.
SaharaReporters gathered that the foiled attack comes at a sensitive time for Kenya’s regional security policy, as President William Ruto recently announced plans to reopen the Kenya–Somalia border in April after a 15-year closure imposed due to repeated terrorist attacks linked to Al-Shabaab.
The frontier was shut in October 2011 following a wave of cross-border attacks blamed on the militant group, which has waged a prolonged insurgency against Somalia’s central government in Mogadishu for more than a decade.
Ruto said reopening the Mandera Border Post would restore cross-border movement and reconnect communities divided by the prolonged shutdown, noting that residents had remained cut off from relatives and economic partners across the border.
Efforts to reopen the frontier have repeatedly stalled due to insecurity.
In May 2023, Kenya and Somalia agreed to a phased reopening, but Nairobi reversed the decision two months later after attacks near the border killed five civilians and eight police officers, incidents also blamed on Al-Shabaab.
Kenya remains a key troop contributor to the African Union military mission fighting the al-Qaeda-linked group in Somalia, reflecting Nairobi’s continued frontline role in regional counter-terrorism efforts.
The two countries share a 680-kilometre land border and have also faced diplomatic tensions over a disputed, potentially oil- and gas-rich maritime zone in the Indian Ocean.
In October 2021, the United Nations’ top court awarded most of the contested area to Somalia, a ruling Kenya rejected.
