Five herders abducted by suspected al-Shabaab militants near the Kenya-Somalia border have been safely released following successful interventions by local peace elders and community elders from Damasa.
The five men, all from Murule community, Alungu in Mandera County, were freed on Monday evening following sustained intervention by local peace elders and elders from Damasa in neighboring Somalia. According to the police report, the herders were found in good health and had since returned to their families.
The five were reportedly abducted early Monday morning while in the Wantey Dam area of Lafey Sub-County. One of the six herders managed to escape, while the other five were taken captive. The released herders were identified as Noor Rashid Issack, Jibril Salat Ali, Abdirahman Noor Ali, Mohamud Ahmed Salat and Noor Muhumed Gabane.
Their captors reportedly demanded three goats for each of the men, or Sh6, 000 per person, as a condition for their release. They also allegedly offered an alternative demand of one camel for each hostage.
Officials said the release followed sustained engagement between elders from both sides of the border, highlighting the role of traditional community structures in resolving security incidents and negotiating the release of people caught up in cross-border conflicts.
The abduction had raised concern among residents in the border area, where cross-border movement and insecurity linked to al-Shabaab militants remain a persistent threat.
Police said they were continuing to follow up on the circumstances surrounding the abduction. The incident comes months after the release of five chiefs abducted in February by Al-Shabaab gunmen while traveling from Wargadud to Elwak in Mandera. In February, Kenya sent community elders to Somalia to negotiate release of five abducted chiefs, aiming for a peaceful resolution.
The area around Wantey Dam has remained vulnerable to militant activity, with Kenya sustaining security operations along the border to address attacks and other threats linked to the militants.
The incident comes amid continued security concerns in parts of Mandera County, particularly along areas bordering Somalia, where suspected Al-Shabaab militants have previously been linked to attacks, abductions and other security incidents.
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