Nairobi — A police officer attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has been killed after suspected Al-Shabaab militants staged a daring attack in Lafey, Mandera County.
The assailants who struck around 10:30am Monday, also made away with the police vehicle.
Police say the gunmen fled the scene after dropping the body of the deceased officer from the vehicle.
Preliminary reports indicate that a man who was in the police vehicle has also been found abandoned in the bushes with serious injuries.
The man, a pump attendant at a fuel station, was rushed to Lafey Sub-County Referral Hospital, where he is reported to be in critical condition.
Several other residents living near the Lafey Police Post are also in the hospital after being hit by stray bullets following the incident in town.
Multi-Agency security teams later conducted a major operation in the area to track the attackers to no avail.
Police believe the attackers crossed the border into Somalia.
Reacting to the incident, Lafey Member of Parliament (MP) Mohamed Abdikheir
condemned the incident as "unfortunate."
"My heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the slain driver and speedy recovery to Mr Muhumed Bashir," said the legislator.
He appealed to the residents to remain calm, urging them that the "cowardice attack shouldn't deter them from going on with their daily activities."
The Lafey MP stated that he was in communication with the top security officials at the headquarters to step up security and surveillance to counter the perpetrators.
Counties in the Northeastern and Coastal region have borne the brunt of the Al-Shabaab attacks due to their proximity to the Kenya-Somalia border.
A report released by the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS) in June this year revealed that 72 attacks were reported in five North Eastern and coastal regions in 2023.
The report indicated that Mandera accounted for the most attacks at 25 which claimed 72 lives, followed by Garissa at 23 attacks that claimed 71 lives.
