Two Kenyan police killed in Ambush Near Mandera

Two police officers have been killed and another 2 injured in an ambush by suspected Al Shabaab terrorists along Lafey -El Wak road, Mandera County.

Mandera Deputy County Commissioner Elvis Korir said the militants attacked the police vehicle between Alungo and El Wak Town.

Speaking to the Nation,  Mr Korir said the vehicle was headed to El Wak Town from Lafey Police Station at around 10:30am.

“Two officers are dead and the injured are admitted at Elwak District Hospital. Security officers are pursuing the attackers who are believed to be hiding in the bushes,” said the deputy commissioner Mr Korir.

Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia blamed the success of the attack on poor travel arrangement by security officers.

“The attack happened when six officers were escorting the Fino Police Station OCS to Takaba through Elwak. We cannot have six officers going through the area because it has been marked as a hot spot for quite some time. Similar mistakes led to the loss of a military officer and others who have been injured last month at the same sport,” Mr Shisia said.

The incident comes barely two days after a similar attack in which two Kenyan police convoys were attacked

Kenyan troops crossed into southern Somalia in 2011 to fight al-Shabaab, later joining the now 22,000-strong African Union force. Since then a series of reprisal terrorist attacks has damaged Kenya’s crucial tourist industry.

Al-Shabab have several times warned the Kenyan government and its public saying “as long as you continue to invade our lands and oppress innocent Muslims, such attacks will continue and the prospect of peace and stability in Kenya will be but a distant mirage. Do not ever dream of living peacefully in your lands while your forces kill the innocent in our lands.”

Opposition parties in Kenya have severally called for the government to make an immediate withdrawal from Somalia after a series of deadly attacks launched by the militant group in the country.