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Authorities had prior intelligence of Mandera attack, Govt spokesman says

Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe who made the revelation on the intelligence received said police did not know the exact location targeted/FILE

Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe who made the revelation on the intelligence received said police did not know the exact location targeted/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 6 – It has now emerged that police had prior intelligence of the Mandera Al Shabaab attack that led to killings of six people.

This raises questions on how the assailants then managed to launch the attack at a residential plot near Bulla Public Works.

Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe who made the revelation on the intelligence received said police did not know the exact location targeted because the information received was general on an impending attack targeting government or civilian areas.

“There was intelligence about intention to attack Government and civilian areas in Mandera but there was no accurate specific target on this particular attack but it was on the account of intelligence provided that the services were able to respond as soon as they did,” he said.

He said five people were instantly killed during the 2.30am attack, while another person died while receiving treatment at the hospital within the area.

“At about 2.30am today, attackers believed to be Al-Shabaab used explosives to invade the Bulla Public Works residential houses in Mandera near the Kenya-Somalia border,” he said.

The assailants, he said escaped through the border, “following an effective response from our security forces.”

Already, he said more security officers have been deployed in the area to pursue the terrorists while eliminate any imminent attack in future.

“That was criminal terrorist act which will be paid for in the fullest of time,” he asserted.

The attack occurred at a village near Bulla Public Works that had a total of 33 non-locals, in what appears to be a replica of past attacks within the region targeting non-Muslims.

Kiraithe has urged Kenyans to remain vigilant and to share information that may help thwart a possible attack by terrorists with police.

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He said Kenyans must be ready to work with the police for the menace to be fully eliminated.

“Intelligence reports should not replace our patriotism or civic duty,” he said while trying to explain why the attack occurred despite prior information.

The town borders the porous Kenya-Somalia border, often used by the terrorists to launch offensive attacks on Kenyans.

Similar attacks were launched in the past two years, leaving more than 60 people killed in separate incidents.

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