6/6/2025 Kenya (International Christian Concern) — In the early morning of April 29, a minibus filled with quarry workers wheeled through the arid land of Bur Abor village in Mandera County, Kenya. The passengers, mostly laborers from other regions of the country, were on their way to the quarry when gunmen violently interrupted their journey.

“They blocked the road and ordered everyone out,” a local elder who arrived at the scene after the attack said. “They asked for IDs, and when some of the men hesitated or showed Christian names, the shooting began.”

Five men died in the attack, and two others were badly wounded. Thirteen men managed to escape into nearby bushland, hiding under shrubs until they were rescued by local security forces. The attackers, suspected members of the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab, fled soon after the shooting.

For many in the region, especially non-Muslim workers, there’s a growing sense that religious identity is becoming a matter of life or death. The April 29 attack bore hallmarks of previous al-Shabab operations, where victims were separated by name or religion before being executed.

“They were targeting us,” one survivor said. “They didn’t ask for money. They wanted to know our faith. When they found out we were Christians, they started shooting.”

In previous years, al-Shabab has carried out similar attacks in Mandera, Wajir, and Lamu counties, often singling out Christians, revealing a pattern of religiously motivated violence, security lapses, and deep fear among local populations.

The attack occurred just about a month after a similarly chilling attack in Garissa County, where al-Shabab militants stormed a National Police Reservists camp. Six officers were killed, and four others were injured.

“The militia used assorted weapons to overrun the camp,” Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo said. “The officers, many of whom had been preparing for morning prayers, were caught completely off-guard.”

Boaz Cherutich responded to the attack, saying, “We want to appeal to the local people around to be calm as we pursue the criminals. The government will continue with the sustained operation to flush them out.” But the reassurance does little to quiet the anxiety that now simmers in the hearts of many residents.

For many survivors, the trauma runs deeper than bullet wounds. Yet amid the devastation, faith remains a pillar of strength for many affected families. Christian residents often turn to Scripture to seek comfort and strength, even though their faith is not just a source of comfort but also the very reason they’re being targeted. One woman, whose husband was killed in an earlier attack, shared a passage she clings to: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” 

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