Seven officers injured in morning Shabaab attack in Mandera

At least seven police officers have been injured in renewed suspected al-Shabaab attacks in Mandera South.

The seven were travelling in an armoured vehicle from Alungu in neighbouring Lafey sub-county to Elwak for refuelling, according to local security reports.

The report added that their vehicle, a 110 Land Rover, was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted on the Alungu-Elwak road.

According to a witness, the vehicle rolled several times after being hit.

"I was coming out of the mosque when a police vehicle passed me and I heard a loud noise and saw a pile of dust. It rolled and moved some distance away from the exact spot of the explosion," said the witness, on condition of anonymity.

He said area residents had reported the presence of men suspected of being members of the al-Shabaab terror group from neighbouring Somalia to the local administration.

"We have al-Shabaab members in this area. The pastoralists meet them every day in the grazing areas and I suspect that this explosive was planted last night to target the security agencies," he said.

The Elwak-Alungu-Lafey-Mandera road was closed to public use in 2015 after al-Shabaab militants hijacked a bus and commandeered it into Somalia, killing at least 28 passengers, most of them teachers.

Public service vehicles (PSVs) rarely use the road, which is used by security agencies that have camps in Lafey.

Last week, Mandera County Commissioner Amos Mariba confirmed the increased presence of al-Shabaab militants in the county.

He said the militants were taking advantage of the improved vegetation after the rains to hide.

On Friday, two police officers were killed and five others injured after militants fired rocket-propelled grenades at their vehicle while they were patrolling on the Elele-Takaba road, a few kilometres from Alungu.

Vast northeastern region

This happened as Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki toured Garissa County, where he announced a Sh20 billion budget to fight terrorism in the vast northeastern region.

On Sunday, a public service vehicle was sprayed with bullets by suspected al-Shabaab militants in Olla, Mandera North. Two people were injured in the incident which was confirmed by Mandera security officials.

On May 29, a police reservist was shot dead by suspected militants at his home in Ashabito, Mandera North.

The attackers accused Mohamud Mohammed Abdullahi of being a government informer against their activities in the area.

On May 1, six police officers were injured when their vehicle was hit by an IED in Rhamu, Mandera North sub-county.

The officers were travelling in an official vehicle to Mandera town when they hit an IED. Asked if Mandera was becoming a playground for terrorists, Mr Mariba categorically denied this, saying security agencies were in full control of the situation.

"The security situation in Mandera is very good despite isolated cases of explosives being planted on the roads," he said.

The county security boss said his team was working on a formula to deal with the increase in the planting of explosives.

"We have people planting explosives targeting security agencies. These explosives are detonated by remote control as soon as the target arrives at the scene and the attacker runs away. We are working on means to catch those behind these explosives," he said, without giving details.

Mr Mariba, while confirming Wednesday's early morning attack, said his office was yet to get full details on it.

"There was an incident involving our officers, but I am yet to get a detailed report because information is still trickling in," he said while promising to give a full report later.

Even as Mr Mariba assured Nation.Africa of heightened security in Mandera, it remained unclear who exactly is behind the increased attacks as new areas report terror incidents in the vast border county.

"We need to be told by the security agencies why areas far from the Kenya-Somalia border are frequently recording terror incidents, unlike in the past when such incidents only happened along the border," lamented Mr Abdimajid Hassan, a resident.

Several intelligence reports in Mandera have accused residents of collaborating with the enemy and helping them carry out attacks. They also fail to report militants sighted in their midst for fear of their lives.

The militants have in the past attacked and killed local administrators, including chiefs and their assistants, whom they suspect of reporting their activities to the security agencies.