Al-Shabaab suspects kill police reservist at Ifo Refugee Camp

Xinhua
Friday, March 08, 2013

Suspected Al-Shabaab militia on Wednesday killed a police reservist at the world’s largest refugee camp in northern Kenya, authorities have confirmed.

Dadaab District Commissioner Albert Kimathi said Billow Ali was shot dead at the Ifo Refugee Camp market by suspected Al-Shabaab while doing patrols in the sprawling camp.

“It is unfortunate that we have lost a very dedicated officer who was really assisting us in combating crime. He was at the forefront in identifying these criminal people,” Kimathi told Xinhua by telephone.

The government administrator said the reservist was shot at close range by the attackers whom the administrator said had trailed him.

Sources told Xinhua that the three attackers who were clad in balaclavas ambushed the reservist from behind before proceeding to shoot him several times on the head, they are then said to have fled on foot.

By the time police officers arrived 30 minutes later the attackers had already fled but were lager arrested about 2 km from the scene of the incident.

“The police officers have arrested the two suspects after a fierce shootout. They managed to recover a ceska pistol and one of the suspects was seriously injured,” Kimathi said. He said the arrest followed a tip-off from the locals.

The body of the slain officer has since been buried at the Dadaab cemetery grounds in accordance with the Islamic rites.

The incident has led to tension in the Ifo refugee camp with business being closed as officers patrolled the town in search of the militia.

The locals say the killing of the reservist is a big blow in the government’s effort to eliminate the Al- Shabaab militants and their sympathizers who are believed to responsible for the series of attacks that have occurred in the refugee camps and Dadaab town.

Security in northeastern province has been at its lowest since Kenya took its troops to Somalia to fight the Al-Shabaab remnants. Garissa has been the worst hit the attacks that have been targeting police officers and civilians.

An Improvised explosive device is common in the northern Kenya after two people were also killed late last year when the device they were planting on a roadside targeting security officer accidentally went off in Dadaab killing them instantly.

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