SW News: There are allegations that suspected Al-Shabaab militants kidnapped two paramedics, their driver, and a patient in Kenya while they were on their way to Elwak hospital from Laffey Sub County Hospital.

Garowe Online quoted the Mandera’s Laffey police station as saying that the four of them were “carjacked by the AS militia” and driven towards Somalia and that they have lost communication due to network issues.

Such crimes by Al-Shabaab are demonstrating that the dreaded outfit is staging a comeback during the transition period in Somalia between the former government of Muhammed Abdullahi Farmaajo and the new leader, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud. On the other hand, the frequency and severity of such attacks have reduced notably due to tight vigilance by the security department.

There have been reports in the past of the militia targeting security personnel, schools, vehicles, and telephone services in northeast and eastern Kenya demanding they withdraw the presence of their forces from Somalia. Soldiers from Kenya are part of the ATMIS peacekeeping force of the African Union which is maintaining security in Somalia and fighting the Al Shabaab militants.

Meanwhile, it was also reported by the Somali government that on Saturday, October 29, there were twin explosions targeting the Ministry of Education building in downtown Mogadishu killing over 120 and injuring 333. Al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attacks.

According to the UN, al-Shabaab spent more than $21 million (€21 million) in 2019 on fighters, weapons, and intelligence, and the group enjoyed significant budgetary surpluses.