NPS continues to dismantle terror networks in Garissa

In a decisive intelligence‑led operation on 2 June 2025, the National Police Service (NPS) — via its elite Special Operations Group (SOG) — raided suspected terror hideouts in the Najo and Guracho areas of Garissa County. The operation culminated in a fierce shootout in which four suspected Al-Shabaab militants were fatally neutralised. Authorities seized multiple weapons, including four AK‑47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, assorted ammunition, radios and other communication equipment — delivering a strong blow to the group’s capacity to orchestrate further attacks
This raid represents the latest in a series of coordinated efforts by NPS and allied security agencies to dismantle terror networks operating in Kenya’s northeastern region. In recent months, community tip‑offs and enhanced intelligence sharing have played a key role. The SOG’s successful operation underscores the growing effectiveness of intelligence‑led policing in areas like Garissa, where threats of insurgency and roadside bombings have persisted. Analysts say such crackdowns are crucial given that Garissa and other border counties recorded a significant number of extremist‑linked incidents and arrests over the past year.
Local leaders and residents in Garissa have welcomed the outcome, with many hailing the operation as a timely reassurance of security. The elimination of these operatives reduces the immediate threat, said one community elder — a response widely echoed across several neighbourhoods. Security officials, meanwhile, have reiterated calls for continued vigilance and community cooperation. They argue that successes such as this will only be lasting if citizens remain alert to suspicious behaviour and tip‑offs continue.
Looking ahead, the NPS says it will sustain pressure on remaining cell members and affiliates, expanding the reach of surveillance and intelligence operations across the region. Observers believe the recent success could deter further terror plotting — but caution that long‑term stability depends on sustained community engagement, improved border management, and enhanced socioeconomic programmes to undercut militant recruitment efforts.