An attack in Lamu's Boni Forest on Monday left three Kenya Defence Forces officers dead and six others injured after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device, ending a period of relative calm in the region.

The incident occurred at around 1:40pm at Badaa on Tuesday, roughly two kilometres from Kiunga town near the Kenya–Somalia border, where a convoy of soldiers was heading from Kiunga to Sankuri.

The area, heavily forested, is part of the ongoing Operation Amani Boni, a multi-agency security effort launched in 2015 to flush out al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding there.

Lamu East Deputy County Commissioner George Kubai confirmed the casualties, saying that tens of soldiers were in the KDF vehicle at the time of the explosion.

“The vehicle exploded after hitting an IED and was extensively damaged,” Kubai said, adding that “an operation to hunt down the attackers is ongoing on the ground. Evacuation efforts are also on for the casualties.”

Kubai called on locals to support the security operation by offering information that could assist in identifying the attackers. “It is our humble appeal to members of the public to cooperate with us. Kindly provide us with crucial leads even as our security agencies are already combating and pursuing the enemy,” he said.

The latest attack comes after months of calm in the county, with no reported al-Shabaab incidents in more than three months.

The last known terror-related confrontation took place on April 5, when armed militants launched a night ambush targeting a General Service Unit camp in Basuba, also in Boni Forest.

Security officers repulsed the attackers, who had split into three groups and tried to infiltrate Basuba village, which is inhabited by over 300 residents from the Boni minority.

Another major incident had been reported on March 15, when more than 100 suspected al-Shabaab militants stormed Mangai village in the same forest zone.

The attackers rounded up villagers at around 6:30pm, addressed them for several minutes, and handed out fruits before leaving.

Despite such sporadic events, Lamu has in recent times enjoyed increased stability, making Monday’s deadly IED attack a concerning setback in efforts to secure the region.