Multi-agency teams are investigating an incident where a middle-aged man was shot dead by unknown assailants while on his way to a mosque for morning prayers at Damasa Shopping Centre in Lafey Sub-County, Mandera county.
The incident occurred at about 5.10 am on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the trading centre located along the Kenya-Somalia border, police and witnesses said.
The deceased was identified as Mohamud Mohamed Ali, also known as Maalin Guliye.
Witnesses told police Ali was attacked and shot by unknown assailants as he headed to the mosque to perform morning prayers. He was targeted.
The attackers fled towards Damasa, Somalia, shortly after the shooting.
The motive for the killing had not been established by the time of reporting.
Police have launched investigations into the incident, with detectives expected to establish the identity of the attackers and determine the circumstances and motive behind the killing.
His body was processed at the scene and later released for burial as per Islamic rites.
The area is among those troubled and near the main border.
The government has intensified operations in the area to address such attacks linked to the al Shabaab gang.
This has led to relative calm in the region at large.
The terrorists keep sneaking through the porous border and launch attacks in Kenya amid the operations.
They usually target government agencies and in particular, the security teams.
Dozens of security agents are killed annually in attacks in the area amid the operations.
The gangs use explosives in their missions.
As part of efforts to address the menace, Kenya deployed the Kenya Defence Forces into Somalia under Operation Linda Nchi on October 14, 2011, following a series of cross-border attacks and kidnappings that threatened the country’s security and tourism sector.
The operation was later integrated into the African Union peace support mission in Somalia as part of regional efforts to combat al-Shabaab.
This has led to a lower rate of terror-related attacks in general.
