by CYRUS OMBATI
Chief Crime Reporter
Tuesday August 9, 2022
At least two police officers were Monday injured when al-Shabaab militants launched a motor attack on a police station in Wajir county.
Another group ambushed and burnt three vehicles and five motorcycles in coordinated attacks in the Konton area.
This is likely to affect the planned polls on August 9, police said.
Locals and police said a group of militants had invaded the area and launched attacks targeting security agents and locals.
The injured officers were evacuated to a nearby hospital for attention, police said.
The group first targeted vehicles on a route in Konton in the morning hours and burnt the vehicles and motorcycles.
No injuries were reported.
At about 3 pm another group launched a motor on the Korof Harar police station which blew up part of the facilities there injuring police who were present.
The gang targeted a communication mast that is within the station. Security was mobilized to repulse the gang that is on the rampage, North Eastern police boss George Seda said.
Last week the same group tried to attack Korof Harar police station using Rocket Propelled Grenades but were repulsed.
Another group of terrorists set up an IED on the Mandera-Rhamu Road in Qumbiso but residents alerted the police.
Police fear the terrorists are planning a bigger attack in the area and have called for heightened vigilance.
On August 1, three police officers were injured in a bomb attack on their camp at the El-Ram, Kutulo in Mandera.
It was the second such attack by the militants on the Anti-Stock Theft Unit base. Police said they attacked the camp using six HE bombs and followed with gun attacks.Three officers sustained deep cuts as others fought off the incursion. The team in the camp managed to repulse the attackers after about 20 minutes of battle.
Kenya Defence Forces jet had to come to the aid of the officers who were fighting to contain a planned overrun by the gang that had crossed from the nearby Kenya-Somalia border.
A similar incident happened there on July 25 leaving three officers with injuries.
This comes days after another team of security agents escaped death narrowly after a herder alerted them of bombs on the road in Liboi, Garissa.
Police said their intelligence had indicated there are dozens of al-Shabaab terrorists who have invaded the area to attack residents.
Seda called on residents to help them tame the movements of the terrorists who are crossing from the main Kenya-Somalia border which is porous.
It is the latest such incident to happen in a series in the past months. This is despite campaigns to address the insecurity menace in the area.
This has affected the education sector, forcing tens of teachers who are non-locals to leave.
Other professionals also escaped amid mounted security operations.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals.
Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
The area is near the Somalia border and the militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
The terrorists have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia to pursue and suppress the activities of the terror group.