Detectives from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) have arrested a woman believed to be a key link in a terror-support network operating within Nairobi’s Eastleigh district. The Friday, November 21 operation, described as “intelligence-led and highly coordinated,” targeted a hideout along Major Muriithi Street where the suspect, Asho Kassim Hassan, was apprehended.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), officers recovered a passport and mobile phone from the scene—critical pieces of evidence now undergoing forensic analysis as investigators work to uncover the extent of her alleged involvement and identify associates within the wider network.
Hassan is currently in police custody and is expected to be arraigned to face terrorism-related charges.
The arrest comes just 48 hours after a deadly IED attack in Garissa County in which two police officers lost their lives and five others were wounded. The officers, attached to the Border Patrol Unit, were on routine patrol along the Liboi-Kulan road when their Land Cruiser was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device suspected to have been planted by Al-Shabaab militants.
One officer died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries shortly after. The five injured officers are receiving treatment as security agencies intensify surveillance along the Kenya–Somalia border and pursue the attackers.
In its statement, the DCI reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the country, noting that the arrest underscores the importance of robust intelligence-sharing and community cooperation.
“Through intensified intelligence operations, enhanced inter-agency coordination, and sustained community partnerships, the DCI remains steadfast in ensuring every Kenyan can go about their daily lives without fear.”
Security analysts say the Eastleigh arrest could be part of a broader counterterror effort aimed at disrupting possible sleeper cells or local facilitators operating within urban centres.
The recovered passport and phone are being examined to trace any communications, movements, or connections to extremist groups.
Additional operations are expected in Nairobi and northern Kenya as authorities respond to the spike in militant activity.
The public has been urged to stay alert and report suspicious behaviour to security agencies.
With tensions high and counterterror efforts intensifying, Friday’s arrest marks a significant development in Kenya’s ongoing fight against terrorism—one that could reveal deeper networks behind recent attacks.
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