Seven killed in ambush on road project team in Kenya's Mandera, police say

Two National Police Reservists and five civilian construction workers were killed at about 7am on 10 November 2026 when armed men ambushed a team supervising construction of the Arabiya-Lafey road at Hagarso in Mandera County, police said.

Mandera County Police Commander Robinson Ndiwa confirmed the attack, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and the Kenya News Agency (KNA) reported. Ndiwa said by phone, as quoted by NTV Kenya: "We lost seven people including two National Police Reservists after they were ambushed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants."

Ndiwa said security agencies suspect Al-Shabaab, but the identity of the attackers had not been confirmed and investigations were continuing. The motive had not been established and the number of attackers was not known. He asked anyone with information to report it to security agencies.

A multi-agency team made up of the General Service Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit, the Police Tactical Unit, regular police, Administration Police and reservists was deployed to pursue the attackers. Ndiwa said the area was calm.

NTV Kenya, citing locals, reported that heavily armed men blocked the road and opened fire on the team's vehicle. It quoted Ndiwa as saying: "We have launched investigations as combined security agencies pursue the attackers, who retreated into the nearby thickets." It gave the toll as at least seven.

The Kenyan news site Eastleigh Voice put the toll at eight, including the vehicle's driver, and said police gave the time of the attack as 6:30am. It quoted Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif as saying: "I am deeply saddened and strongly condemn the tragic ambush targeting a security vehicle escorting road construction workers along the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey Road in the Hagarsu area this morning." The governor also urged security agencies to investigate urgently and ensure those responsible face justice, the site reported.

KNA said construction of the Arabiya-Lafey road has been under way since April and that no security incident had been reported along the route before this attack. The agency said the killings have raised concern about the safety of construction workers and security personnel on development projects in the area.

NTV Kenya reported that on 22 December 2019 suspected Al-Shabaab militants used improvised explosive devices to destroy road construction machinery worth KSh 39.8 million at Hagarsu Bida, on the Mandera-Arabia-Lafey road.