Image: COURTESY
The US embassy in Nairobi Thursday, February 9 issued a terror alert warning its citizen's terrorists may target high-traffic areas frequented by foreigners and tourists in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya.
The embassy said the locations continue to be attractive targets to terrorists planning to conduct potentially imminent attacks.
“Terrorist groups could attack with little or no warning, targeting hotels, embassies, restaurants, malls and markets, schools, police stations, places of worship, and other places frequented by foreigners and tourists,” an alert issued said.
It added the government of Kenya has increased counterterrorism patrols.
The embassy wants its citizens to exercise vigilance at locations frequented by tourists/foreigners, review their personal security plans and be aware of their surroundings.
It is not clear what prompted the new and first alert this year so far.
But officials said they believe dozens of al-Shabaab terrorists may have slipped into the city from Somalia and are planning an attack.
This follows ongoing operations in Somalia targeting the terror group.
Kenya has been a victim of terrorism on several occasions.
The terrorists usually breach the main Kenya-Somalia border and attack at will which has left dozens dead and others injured.
Kenya police said they have upped their patrols and operations to address the new fears.
The most deadly attack by the terrorists was on April 2 2015 when gunmen stormed the Garissa University College in Garissa, killing 148 people, and injuring 79 or more.
Police have thwarted dozens of others.
Last week, while giving a state of security in the country in the past 100 days, interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said they have stepped up the fight against the threat of terror.
“We have disrupted many terror plots at source, neutralised and/or arrested dozens of suspected terrorists, and destroyed a huge cache of weapons and explosives that could have badly harmed our people if they were not intercepted.”
“The current crackdown on al-Shabaab terror cells in Somalia which is spearheaded by local community leaders with the support of the Federal Government of Somalia has tremendously weakened this militant group,” he said.
He said security agencies are alert to ensure that these militants do not cross into our territory to keep them at bay now that this terror group is at its weakest.
“We have stepped up our border patrols and upped our surveillance on the proliferation of illicit arms, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,” he said.
He added they have improved on intelligence gathering to stay several steps ahead of the enemy and are always aware that terrorists only need one lucky break to hurt the country and inflict pain.
“We must always strike first and fast to neutralise them and obliterate their nefarious networks.”
The CS said as hardworking officers in the elite specially trained formed units remain engaged to keep terror at bay, their colleagues on general duties have helped to significantly reduce the general rate of crime in the country during the past months.
