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Five killed in Mandera terror attack
Four security officers and a civilian killed in Mandera terror attack.
At least five people were killed in a terror attack in Quraqura-Wante area, Mandera County, on Tuesday.
Lafey sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Festus Chepkwony said the incident was reported at noon, adding that security agencies were on the ground pursuing the attackers.
“There was an incident, but I don’t have much detail. Our officers are yet to return to brief me on the same,” he told the Nation on phone.
A report from Lafey Police Station indicated that four security officers and a civilian were killed in the attack, which targeted Special Operation Group (SOG) from Alungu near the Kenya-Somalia border.
The group was carrying out a security patrol when they were ambushed.
A senior security officer based at Lafey sub-County, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed increased presence of Al-Shabaab militants in the area.
Last Friday, suspected Al-Shabaab militants reportedly launched coordinated attacks on two towns - Fino and Arabia within Lafey sub-county.
The first attack occurred in Fino town between 6pm before a similar assault was reported in Arabia town about an hour later.
The two incidents triggered panic among residents, who reported that the attackers were heavily armed.
Locals reported intense gunfire between security agencies and suspected militants from both towns that evening.
The towns are near the Kenya-Somalia border line along the Elwak-Lafey-Mandera road, which has remained closed to the public since 2015.
The Kenyan government closed the road to public use due to severe security threats, including repeated attacks and explosions of improvised explosive device (IED) incidents by al-Shabaab militants.
On November 22, 2014, al-Shabaab militants hijacked a Nairobi-bound bus along the same route and executed 28 passengers. The victims included a large number of non-local teachers traveling home for the December holidays.
During the Friday attacks, witnesses said many families were forced to flee their homes or seek shelter elsewhere.
In Fino town, a teenager who was injured in the fire exchange was reportedly taken to Mandera County Referral Hospital for treatment.
Locals said the situation remained tense following the killing of five people on Tuesday.
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