Mandera, Garissa top 2024 extremism toll with 107 dead, 124 injured in 85 attacks

In 2024, communities across northeastern Kenya endured a wave of violent attacks that claimed 107 lives and left 124 others nursing injuries, according to a report by the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS).

Behind the statistics are painful stories of families torn apart, health workers attacked at their places of duty, and civilians caught in explosions while going about their daily lives.

The report by CHRIPS paints a grim picture of how extremist violence surged in regions like Mandera, Garissa, Lamu, and Wajir, with Mandera emerging as the worst-hit county.

Throughout the year, 85 terror-related incidents were recorded, a rise from 72 in 2023.

Many of the attacks involved ambushes on security forces, use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and assaults on vital public facilities, including hospitals and police stations.

"In Lamu and Garissa, civilians, particularly non-local workers, were targeted, often at their places of work, reflecting a disturbing trend in victim selection," the report states.

Mandera bore the heaviest toll, with several coordinated attacks.

In one disturbing episode, five attacks occurred in a single day in Lafey, leading to the kidnapping of three people.

Another tragedy struck on March 25 when an IED exploded at a food kiosk, killing two police officers and two civilians, including the kiosk owner, and injuring 20 others.

February was the only month that passed without a reported attack.

However, March saw the highest number of injuries in a single month, with 33 people wounded.

Between January and March alone, 14 incidents left 15 people dead and 43 injured.

From April to June, 17 attacks resulted in 27 deaths and 10 injuries.

One of the most lethal incidents happened on April 29 in Elwak, Mandera, where an explosion killed 13 people and injured five others.

On April 13, four armed attackers wearing military fatigues stormed Elwak Referral Hospital.

They beat up guards and demanded to know where the doctors were before fleeing without the information.

A particularly chilling case unfolded on June 7 when gunmen attacked Bogyar village in Garissa.

Four non-local workers renovating a health centre were reportedly tortured before being killed.

Four others who were present managed to escape.

The CHRIPS report reveals that between July and September, the number of attacks climbed to 26, resulting in 40 deaths and over 50 injuries.

However, security agencies also disrupted at least eight planned attacks during this period in Garissa and Mandera.

Joint teams from the Elite Special Operations Group (SOG), Border Patrol Unit, National Police Reservists, and local officers launched multiple raids on suspected militant hideouts.

In one such operation on August 5, officers seized items including ammunition, medical kits, and containers of water during sweeps along the Mandera-Wajir border.

In a separate operation on August 14 in Fafi Sub-County, Garissa, two suspects were killed at a camp in Digdiga following reports of local harassment by militants.

The attackers increasingly targeted government officials and vehicles.

On August 10, the driver of a Deputy County Commissioner’s car was shot dead in Mandera, and the vehicle was taken.

A six-year-old child who had been inside the car was later traced to Somalia and safely returned.

The final quarter of the year, October to December, saw 28 attacks, leading to 25 deaths and 21 injuries.

In one of the attacks on October 16, a police vehicle was ambushed, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer killed, and a passenger kidnapped.

That month also saw repeated assaults on police stations and military convoys, particularly in Lafey.

In Lamu, attacks concentrated around Ziwa la Kibokoni and Milhoi.

Meanwhile, both civilians and security personnel in Wajir faced growing threats, although the county reported fewer fatalities.

Security operations intensified toward the end of the year, resulting in the arrest of 161 individuals — nearly three times the number detained in 2023.

Those apprehended included 113 Kenyans, 37 Ugandans, one Tanzanian, and 10 others whose nationalities were not identified.

The Centre’s report detailed that the year’s attacks led to the deaths of 29 civilians and 28 security officers.

At the same time, 36 suspected Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in confrontations. Fourteen others who lost their lives were not identified.