“The gunmen were four. They immediately opened fire at Administration Police officers guarding the bank and killed one and another civilian. That is when they were engaged in a shootout,” a senior police officer said/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 23 – A police officer is among three people shot dead during an attack by suspected Al Shabaab terrorists in Mandera County Friday morning.
Three other people were seriously injured in the attack that occurred outside a bank in Elwak town, police said, adding that one of the dead was the attacker who was gunned down during the ensuing shootout.
The town is located seven kilometres from the Kenya-Somalia border.
“The gunmen were four. They immediately opened fire at Administration Police officers guarding the bank and killed one and another civilian. That is when they were engaged in a shootout,” a senior police officer said.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet confirmed the incident, saying the attackers fled with the body of their colleague.
“They were engaged in a gunfight and one of them was killed,” he said on telephone, “they fled with the body.”
A major security operation was underway in Mandera Friday in search of the attackers who fled towards Bura Hache area on the Kenya-Somalia border.
Area Regional Commissioner Mohamud Saleh said “We will not relent on this, a manhunt is on for them.”
Mandera County and other border towns have experienced insecurity cases in recent weeks, with more than 20 police officers killed in Improvised Explosive Devices attacks.
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