Cow killed after stepping on IED on the road in Kiunga, Lamu County

A cow was killed in a blast on the roadside in Kiunga area, Lamu County, police said.

This was after it stepped on a set bomb on the road.

The explosive is believed to have been set up and targeted security vehicles using the route in the area.

It was by luck that a cow that was passing there stepped on the blast, and it went off, killing it on the spot, witnesses said.

A herder said he was taking care of a herd of cows in Ishakani area when one of them stepped on the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on February 8, 2026, in the morning.

It went off and killed the animal on the spot as others scattered.

The cow remains were scattered in a radius of 50 metres from the scene of the explosion, witnesses and police said, indicating the explosive was huge and powerful.

A herder who had the cows was not injured. Police said the other cows were not injured either.

The incident caused panic in the area as experts processed it for other procedures. Police said the bomb had been set by suspected al-Shabaab terrorists operating in the area through the main porous border and the expansive Boni Forest.

Police said they had intensified operations to address any further fears of attacks in the area.

Lamu is under Operation Amani Boni aimed at driving out al-Shabaab gangs operating in the area.

Lamu has for years been the scene of terrorist attacks targeting both locals and security officers.

The most devastating strike happened in Mpeketoni and Kibaoni on the night of June 15, 2014, when more than 90 people were killed. The area is under special operation code-named Operation Linda Boni to flush out the terrorists there.

The multi-agency operation seeks to flush out al-Shabaab militants from Boni Forest.

More than 100 security agents have been killed in Lamu, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera Counties in IED attacks in the past years.

The border region with Somalia has been experiencing a rise in terror-related attacks amid police operations to address the trend. Some of the attackers cross from Somalia for attacks.

Somalia has not had a stable government for decades, which has led to the insecurity in the region.

The attacks have negatively affected development in the area. Kenya has been focusing on various projects to help address the menace. They include expansion of road networks and other amenities.