By KALUME KAZUNGU
Monday, August 01, 2016
Lamu County commissioner Joseph Kanyiri addressing journalists on August 1, 2016 after suspected Shabaab terrorists attacked and injured a police officer and a NYS excavator machine driver earlier in the morning. PHOTO | ATHMAN OMAR | NATION MEDIA GROUP
An Administration police officer and a NYS excavator machine operator have been injured in Lamu County after they were attacked by suspected Al-Shabaab members.
According to Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri, a home-made bomb exploded injuring the officers on Usalama Road, where a wall is being built to separate the county from neighbouring Somalia.
An evacuation is under way and police have launched a manhunt for the assailants with Mr Kanyiri urging locals to maintain calm.
The 9am attack happened just 600 metres from Usalama camp in Kiunga Division.
“We suspect those who planted the IED are Al-Shabaab militants but so far all is well since security has been beefed up in the area. The injured have also been evacuated to Nairobi for treatment. I call on residents to be vigilant and calm,” said Mr Kanyiri.
Police sources on the ground who talked to the Nation intimated that the AP officer sustained multiple fractures on both legs and that the NYS excavator operator escaped with minor injuries.
The hurt officer was an escort of the NYS driver.
The incident comes just a week after more than five Kenya Defence Forces Soldiers escaped death narrowly when their military tanker ran over an IED in Kiunga Division of Lamu East Sub-County on July 25.
The soldiers were using the tanker to clear bushes along the Usalama Road where the security wall is being built.
Al-Shabaab militants who have been terrorising the region for the past two years.
On July 14 this year, a suspected Al-Shabaab terrorist was killed while a police officer was injured when a group of over 20 heavily armed Al-Shabaab members attacked the Mangai Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) camp in Basuba Ward of Lamu East Sub-County.
One AK-47 rifle and three magazines full of ammunitions were recovered from the militants.
On July 10, 14 GSU officers also escaped death narrowly when suspected Al-Shabaab militants threw an IED to their armoured personnel carrier (APC) at Baure in Lamu East.