• There were 116 fatalities which resulted from the attacks, a 16 per cent increase compared to the 100 deaths recorded in 2021.
• Majority of the fatalities in 2022 were civilians who accounted for 42 of the people killed.
Image: HANDOUT
Attacks linked to the al-Shabaab terror group in Kenya increased by 26 per cent in 2022 and resulted in 116 fatalities.
A report by the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS) shows that the number of terror-related attacks over the period stood at 77 up from 51 reported in 2021.
The 116 fatalities that resulted from the attacks was a 16 per cent increase compared to the 100 deaths recorded in 2021.
Majority of the fatalities in 2022 were civilians who accounted for 42 of the people killed.
The militia group lost 38 of its fighters in combat encounters with security officers which resulted in the deaths of 35 Kenyan security officials and one government official.
Although there was an increase in attacks, only 29 people were arrested in the period under review.
The largest number of arrests took place in Garissa county where nine people were arrested on suspicion of terror activities.
The attacks were concentrated in four counties on the Kenya-Somalia border.
Mandera was the most affected county with 37 terror-related incidents.
Lamu recorded the second-highest number of occurrences at 21 followed by Garissa with 19 while Wajir county experienced nine terror attacks.
The data from the CHRIPS Terror Attacks and Arrests Observatory further shows that of the 77 reported attacks, close to 50 per cent were targeted at security officers.
Incidents targeting security officials have been on an upward trend for the past five years.
In 2018 and 2019, 16 attacks were recorded all targeted at security officials. The number rose sharply to 41 in 2020.
There was a marked decrease in 2021 as only 24 incidents were reported.
CHRIPS documented 33 attacks observatory in 2022 targeted at security officials.
“While security officials and counter-terror bodies in the country are to be commended for the increased measures put in place to counter violent extremism in Kenya, the Observatory data shows that al-Shabaab continues to pose a threat as the frequency of terror-related attacks has increased over the year, largely targeting security officials primarily on transit or on patrol by the use of various explosive devices,” Rahma Ramadhan, a researcher at CHRIPS observed.
Unlike the previous year, in 2022 terror-related arrests were recorded in Nyeri, Narok, Kwale, Tana River, Lamu and Laikipia counties.
The area has been facing security challenges with al-Shabaab terrorists targeting security vehicles and some villages.
The terrorists are targeting among others projects including the Lapsset port and road.