Wajir — Police officers in Wajir County on Friday night repulsed a suspected al-Shabaab attack targeting the Khorof Harar Police Station.

According to authorities, the incident occurred when unknown gunmen believed to be militants fired three rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) at the station before opening fire using tracer rounds. The attackers are reported to have been armed with PKM rifles.

Officers on duty returned fire while seeking cover, forcing the attackers to retreat under the cover of darkness. No injuries were reported.

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A security sweep of the scene on Saturday recovered multiple spent cartridges, confirming the intensity of the exchange. Police said the attackers fled towards the border region, where similar ambush attempts have been recorded.

The Khorof Harar area has experienced sporadic militant activity linked to cross-border incursions from Somalia. Security agencies say deployments have been strengthened in recent months to counter the threat and protect residents.

Tens of additional officers have been sent to the region as part of wider anti-terror efforts, with authorities urging community members to share intelligence that could prevent future attacks.

Officials note that most attackers operating in the area are suspected al-Shabaab militants and their collaborators.

Somalia has grappled with instability since the collapse of President Siad Barre's government in 1991, creating an environment in which militant groups have thrived and expanded operations across borders.

Kenya intensified its counter-terror response in 2011, launching Operation Linda Nchi following a series of abductions targeting tourists and humanitarian workers along the Kenya-Somalia border. Two years later, Kenyan forces captured the strategic Kismayo port under Operation Sledge Hammer.

Since then, troops have continued to neutralise militant strongholds and secure border regions, though al-Shabaab remnants still pose a recurring threat in frontier counties.

Police say surveillance and patrol operations in Wajir and neighbouring regions will continue as the government pushes to restore security, protect civilians, and safeguard development in northern Kenya.