Security agencies launched a major operation in Mandera town following the fatal shooting of a police officer by two armed gunmen.
Corporal Hassan Omar, 55, was on patrol near Taqwa Mosque on February 25 when he was confronted and attacked. The gunmen shot him twice in the head, killing him instantly, before fleeing towards the Kenya-Somalia border without taking anything from him.
Responding officers arrived at the scene and found Omar’s lifeless body on the ground, with his AK-47 rifle and 80 rounds of ammunition still intact.
Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack.
A major operation has since been mounted in the border area.
Police said the gang is believed to have crossed from Somalia for the mission.
Two spent cartridges were recovered from the scene.
This incident follows a series of new attacks carried out by al Shabaab militants crossing over from Somalia.
In another attack in Dagahaley, Garissa County, a motorist was ambushed and robbed of goods worth Sh70,000 while traveling between Lanta Gasey and Wardeer settlement on Dabadeer road.
The attack occurred on Thursday night when gunmen attempted to stop the vehicle. However, the driver ignored their signal and continued driving, prompting the assailants to open fire. The gunshots deflated the car’s tires, forcing the driver and his two passengers to stop and flee into the nearby bushes for safety.
The attackers then looted the vehicle, stealing food supplies and other valuables before escaping.
Police suspect the assailants to be members of the al Shabaab militants operating in the area.
A militant group has carried out two attacks in the Elwak area within 24 hours. The most recent incident occurred on the morning of Monday, February 24, when a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier was killed after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated. Five other soldiers sustained serious injuries in the blast.
The previous attack took place on Sunday, when a four-wheel-drive vehicle was severely damaged in the same region.
According to officials, a joint patrol team consisting of KDF personnel and the Special Operations Group encountered a heavily reinforced ambush at Qura-Qura, approximately 15 kilometers from Elwak. The confrontation resulted in the death of one KDF soldier.
The other team escaped as they engaged the gang behind the attack in a gunfight.
Their vehicle was badly damaged in the Monday attack, officials said.
On Sunday, another security car encountered an IED in the same area, but no injuries were reported.
The area is near the Kenya-Somalia border, which is usually breached by the al Shabaab terror group.
