They are believed to be part of a larger cell in the area that has been linked to the killing local community leaders involved in deradicalisation, IG Joseph Boinnet said.

This came shortly after police shot dead two of the suspects and arrested four others on Monday night.

The operation was staged after four community leaders were lynched by unknown people early this month.

Police say there is a cell operating in the area opposed to the reintegration of a number of youth who are al Shabaab returnees.

Earlier in June, police warned of a possible terror attack during Ramadhan .

In January, a wanted terror suspect accused of killing a senior intelligence officer in Mombasa was arrested.

Ikirima Shosi is believed to have murdered Hashim Omar, a senior National Intelligence Service officer in Mombasa in July, 2015.

Police said he is an al Shabaab recruit behind a series of attacks targeting security officers and informers.