Al Shabaab injure two cops, escape with Land Cruiser in raid at Wajir post

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Structures burned by al Shabaab militants during a raid at Diff village, Wajir county, April 10, 2016. Photo/ISMAIL NOOR

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Al Shabaab militants injured two officers and stole a vehicle and mortar in a raid at Diff police station, Wajir county, on Sunday morning.

Diff is located 10 km from Kenya's border with Somalia, where the al-Qaeda linked terror group is based. It is located about 12 km from a Kenya Defence Forces camp.

Police said two al Shabaab fighters were injured in the incident during which they stole a Land Cruiser and burned some structures.

Unconfirmed reports indicated the militants also escaped with rounds of ammunition. The attackers were also said to have burned six shops in Wajir town. One of the shops belonged to chief Omar Hussein.

Officers injured at the station, where 12 of them were at the time of the attack, were taken to Wajir town for treatment.

Police launched a search for suspects and the vehicle. They reportedly had intelligence of an impending attack in the area.

Fighters of the terror group based in Somalia have carried out attacks at police stations in Wajir, Mandera and Lamu counties.

In August 2014, two police officers were injured, one seriously, after suspected al Shabaab militia crossed over and struck Fino police station in Mandera.

Lafey Police boss Bosita Omukolongolo said the attackers were believed to have targeted guns at the station.

In the county in December 2015, two policemen were killed and two injured by suspected members of the al Qaeda-linked terror group in an attack along Lafey-Elwak road.

Among the dead was a chief inspector who was being escorted by his juniors to Elwak town where he was to catch a bus to his new station after transfer.

Seven police officers manning Boni Forest died in January after their truck struck a landmine planted by al Shabaab in Kiunga, Lamu East.

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