Kenyan police kill 20 al-Shabaab men in gun battle near Somali border

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA): Kenyan police killed 20 al-Shabaab fighters in a gun battle along the porous border with Somalia on Thursday.

Al-Shabaab launched the assault, sparking an armed clash with Kenya’s elite Special Operations Group (SOG) that lasted several hours.

The Kenyan specialized force’s well-coordinated efforts resulted in the elimination of 20 terrorists, the police said, adding that eight officers were injured in the attack.

Police spokesperson Resla Onyango said at a press conference in the capital Nairobi that the terrorists ambushed the police patrol at Ogorwen in Mandera County, injuring eight officers.

The injured officers are being treated at a local hospital and will be airlifted to Nairobi once stabilized, Onyango said, adding that police recovered weapons from the crime scene, including a submachine gun and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki announced that the reopening of border points with Somalia would be delayed due to concerns about the increased risk posed by al-Shabaab.

Kenya had planned to gradually reopen its border with Somalia in an announcement made on May 15, aiming to restore normalcy and strengthen ties between the two neighboring countries.

Al-Shabaab has carried out several attacks in Kenya after crossing the porous Kenya-Somalia border.

Al-Shabaab, in response to Kenya’s deployment of troops to Somalia following a wave of kidnappings in 2011, launched a series of attacks against Kenya and has continued to threaten further violence if the troops are not withdrawn.