Security officers patrol and check motorists at the scene where three buses headed to Lamu from Mombasa were attacked by militants on January 3, 2020. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]
Twelve foreigners were arrested last year over terror-related activities as security agencies intensified the war against Al Shabaab.
A report by the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies says the foreigners were five Pakistanis while the other were an Egyptian, a German, Iranian, Somali, Swedish, Turkish, and a US national.
Also arrested were 10 Kenyans and 20 others whose nationality was not disclosed.
According to the report, there was a decrease in terror threat last year compared to the previous year when 69 attacks were staged. Last year recorded 51 attacks that left 100 people dead.
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“The highest number of fatalities recorded was of security officials. A total of 46 officers were killed in Lamu, Mandera and Wajir counties. There were 34 Al Shabaab militants and 20 civilians killed in 2021,” says the report titled 'Trends of Violent Extremist Attacks and Arrests in Kenya'.
Among the dead security agents were 20 military officers, 12 police officers, eight intelligence officers, three police reservists, a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger, one community conservancy ranger and an unspecified security official.
In 2020 and 2019, 76 and 135 people were arrested respectively.
“Mombasa and Mandera recorded the highest number of arrests. The least number were recorded in Garissa where one terror suspect was arrested in Kulan Trading Centre with materials for making explosives including a battery, welding metal gadget, assorted electronic devices and assorted mobile phone accessories.”
