Nairobi, Kenya — At least five quarry workers were shot dead and two others wounded early Tuesday in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya's Mandera County, near the border with Somalia, police said.

The assault occurred around 6:00 am near the village of Bor Abor, when armed men believed to be Al-Shabaab militants ambushed a minibus carrying the workers, according to a police report.

"About 10 armed assailants stopped the vehicle and ordered the occupants to disembark," the report stated. The attackers then reportedly demanded the workers hand over their mobile phones and identification cards before shooting them while they lay on the ground.

Two other workers sustained injuries in the attack, while 13 managed to flee into nearby bushes and were later rescued by security forces.

Police said footprints at the scene suggested the attackers retreated towards the Somalia border, a known haven for the jihadist group.

There was no immediate comment from Kenyan police spokespersons, despite requests from local media.

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia, has carried out numerous cross-border attacks in Kenya, particularly targeting northeastern regions.