Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops operating in the coastal Lamu County have successfully discovered and destroyed an improvised explosive device (IED) planted along a key supply route, military officials confirmed Tuesday, preventing what could have been a deadly attack on security personnel and civilians.
The explosive was detected during a routine patrol along the Baure–Basuba Main Supply Route, an area where troops under Operation Amani Boni (OAB) have been actively combating al-Shabaab militants hiding in the dense Boni Forest.
Following the discovery, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was deployed to the scene and neutralized the device through a controlled detonation. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
The patrol commander emphasized the critical nature of such operations, stating that constant vigilance was the primary defence against hidden threats.
“Every patrol matters because we never know what dangers may lie ahead. Our priority is to protect lives and ensure that people can move safely,” the commander said following the operation.
The successful neutralization secured the route for both military convoys and local travellers. Lamu East Deputy County Commissioner Hussein Simiyu noted that the recovery of the device aligned with recent intelligence indicating increased militant movement.
“Security is tight, fully investigating and combating just to ensure the area is maximally secured. There’s no cause for alarm,” Simiyu stated.
The incident is the latest in a series of similar discoveries in the region, highlighting the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab’s asymmetric warfare tactics.
The militant group has increasingly relied on roadside bombs to target security forces and civilians after sustained military pressure degraded its ability to launch conventional assaults.
In July, KDF troops under Operation Amani Boni discovered and destroyed four separate IEDs along major supply routes in the Sarira area of Lamu County.
Those devices were found spaced roughly five to eight kilometres apart, indicating a coordinated attempt to disrupt military logistics and civilian movement.
Lamu County has been a flashpoint for insecurity for over a decade. The region is home to the expansive Boni Forest, which has long served as a hiding ground for al-Shabaab remnants.
The area witnessed one of Kenya’s deadliest terror attacks in June 2014, when militants killed more than 90 people in Mpeketoni and Kibaoni.
The ongoing Operation Amani Boni is a multi-agency initiative specifically designed to flush out the militants and secure critical transport corridors.
Military officials have reiterated that intelligence-driven operations and disciplined route clearance procedures remain essential to denying hostile actors the freedom to operate in the region.
