Eight people were killed in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Mandera County, in northeastern Kenya.^[1] The victims were five road engineers, two police reservists and one driver.^[2] The ambush The group was working on the Arabia-Lafey road project when it was ambushed.^[3] The ambush took place at Koromey, near Hagarsu, along Arabia Road.^[4] The site is near the border with Somalia.^[5] The attack targeted the security escort for the construction team.^[6] The attackers stole two rifles from the dead reservists.^[7] Seven of the victims died at the scene.^[8] The driver of the security vehicle died of gunshot injuries while being taken to hospital.^[9] Who did it No one in these reports claims the attack. Al-Shabaab is named as the suspect, not as a confirmed attacker.^[10] Three attacks that failed first The ambush came after a run of attacks on security posts that did not succeed. Militants attacked Hulugho Police Station and the Gesreb camp on 7 November.^[11] Security forces repulsed those attacks with no reported casualties.^[12] Forces at the Damasa forward operating base also repulsed an attempted attack.^[13] Set against those, the road crew was the softer target: civilians with a two-man escort. The response A multi-agency security team was deployed to hunt the attackers.^[14] Residents of Mandera expressed outrage.^[15] Three of the victims have been buried. Five remain at the county mortuary.^[16]