Tragedy as two siblings are killed in explosive ordinance blast in Garissa’s Bura area

Two siblings died after an explosive device detonated while they were herding cattle in Bura East Sub-County, Garissa County.

They are believed to have been playing with the explosive when it went exploded.

The minors, 15, and her brother, 16, succumbed to critical injuries sustained in the explosion on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

According to police, the explosion occurred at around noon, with the local Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Forward Operating Base (FOB) officials reporting that they heard a loud blast while at the camp.

The officers subsequently deployed a drone to conduct aerial surveillance but detected nothing unusual.

A patrol team was later dispatched to search the areas surrounding the camp.

The team discovered the two minors with critical injuries and evacuated them to the military camp for emergency medical attention.

Before her death, the girl reportedly told the team that they had encountered a strange object while herding cattle.

Her brother began striking the object with a panga, triggering the explosion.

The girl died shortly after being taken to the camp, while her brother succumbed to his injuries as medical personnel attempted to stabilise him.

The two siblings were residents of Guyo Village in Nanighi Location, Bura East Sub-County.

Military personnel suspect the object may have been a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) possibly left behind during an earlier incident involving suspected al-Shabaab militants near the camp.

However, the nature and origin of the explosive device had not been independently established.

The bodies were released to the family for other procedures including burial.

The incident highlights the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance, particularly in areas where civilians may encounter suspicious objects while carrying out routine activities.

It is not the first time such an incident has happened. Such blasts are common in the area amid calls for caution.

Residents are advised not to touch, strike, move or attempt to dismantle unfamiliar metallic objects or suspected explosives, but to move away and alert security agencies immediately.

Somalia’s al-Shabaab gunmen have been staging attacks in the area targeting security personnel.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since the 1991 overthrow of President Siad Barre's military regime, which ushered in more than two decades of anarchy and conflict in a country deeply divided along clan lines.

Kenya launched Operation Linda Nchi on October 14, 2011, after gunmen seized tourists at the Coast, which the Government saw as a threat to the country's sovereignty, as it targeted the nation's economic lifeline, which is tourism.