The attack took place on Tuesday near the town of Lafey, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Somali border, in Mandera county, a region that has seen a recent surge in militant activity.
According to a police report seen by AFP, four officers and a reservist from the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) were killed during an encounter with suspected fighters from the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab group while on patrol.
Kenyan police spokesman Michael Muchiri confirmed the authenticity of the report but gave no further details.
Two Mandera county officials, requesting anonymity for security concerns, said the patrol was struck by a powerful blast before coming under heavy gunfire, killing five people.
“In this area (Mandera), they (Al-Shabaab) have a strong presence,” one of them said. “Everyone knows they are there.”
Festus Chepkwony, the deputy prefect in the Lafey area of Mandera, confirmed the attack and said it was believed to have been carried out by Al-Shabaab, though he could not independently verify the death toll.
The Islamist group has stepped up attacks around Lafey in recent months.
Kenyan media reported that Al-Shabaab fighters attacked an SOG camp in Lafey in June.
Last week, they also struck the settlements of Arabia and Fino, about 60 kilometres north of the town along the Somali border.
“Al-Shabaab’s offensive operations have increased in the area and many residents are terrified,” one local official said.
