At least eight people have been killed after heavily armed gunmen ambushed a security vehicle escorting road construction workers along the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey Road in Mandera County.
The deadly attack occurred on Tuesday morning, November 10, 2026, at Koromey, near Hagarsu along Arabia Road, where the attackers reportedly blocked the route before opening fire on a vehicle transporting security personnel and workers attached to the ongoing road construction project.
According to preliminary police reports, five engineers working on the road project and two Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) assigned to provide security for the construction team were among those killed.
The eighth victim was the driver of the security vehicle, who sustained critical gunshot injuries and later succumbed while being rushed to Mandera County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Seven victims reportedly died instantly at the scene, with the driver dying while being transported to hospital.
Police confirmed the incident, prompting the deployment of additional security personnel to the area in pursuit of the attackers.
The assailants had specifically targeted the security escort accompanying the construction team, raising fresh concerns over the safety of infrastructure workers operating in the volatile northeastern border region.
Although no group had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the incident comes amid heightened security concerns in areas bordering Somalia, where suspected Al-Shabaab militants have previously carried out attacks against security personnel and civilians.
On November 7, suspected militants reportedly launched coordinated attacks targeting Hulugho Police Station and the Gesreb Special Operations Group (SOG) security camp in neighbouring Garissa County. Security officers repulsed the attacks without reported casualties.
The latest killings are expected to intensify concerns over security along the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey corridor, particularly for workers involved in government infrastructure projects.
Authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive statement detailing the identities of the victims or establishing the motive behind Tuesday’s ambush.
