Nairobi — At least seven police officers sustained injuries when the vehicle they were traveling in ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Mandera South on Wednesday.

The victims were injured to varying degrees, with some suffering injuries to the head, neck, and chest during the morning attack.

The IED had been strategically planted on the left side of the road, leading to the incident.

According to the police, the officers were traveling in an armored Land Rover vehicle along the Elwak-Alungu road when the incident occurred.

"The vehicle was hit on the left side just behind the commander's seat," read the police report in part.

It is believed that the attack was orchestrated by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

The officers had previously traveled to Elwak to refuel their vehicle before the incident took place.

The Officers were rushed to Elwak Sub-County Referral Hospital for medical attention.

In response to the attack, the police have launched a thorough search operation in the area to apprehend the suspects responsible for the attack.

The incident comes barely a week after a police officer was killed and two others were injured when al Shabaab militants fired a rocket propelled grenade at their Landcruiser pickup in Mandera County.

The vehicle was carrying Quick Response Unit (QRU) officers on regular patrol when they were attacked in Mandera North near the Kenya-Somalia border.