Coast Regional Police Chief Akello Odhiambo says several militants were repulsed in a fierce gun battle that lasted for hours/FILE
MOMBASA, Kenya, Jul 5 – At least two police officers and a militant were on Wednesday killed after Al Shabaab terrorists raided Pandanguo Police Camp in Lamu.
The officers were killed when the militants attacked and burnt the Rapid Response Unit AP Camp.
Coast Regional Police Chief Akello Odhiambo says several militants were repulsed in a fierce gun battle that lasted for hours.
KDF officers from a neighboring camp were among the first security personnel to respond to the attack where they engaged the Al Shabaab in an aerial and ground fight.
Unconfirmed reports indicate the militants made way with a police vehicle into Somalia through the vast Boni forest used by the militants to stage terrorist attacks.
“They razed down a police camp and destroyed a Safaricom mast, disrupting communication among the security personnel based in Lamu. The gun fight took over seven hours before security agents took over the area,” said Odhiambo.
The militants had planted Improvised Explosive Devices that slowed down the security operation.
Kenya Red Cross personnel were also barred from accessing the village because of security concerns.
Police are yet to confirm if locals were among the casualities.
A police source claimed security agents were warned of a possible attack by Al Shabaab last week within Kiunga after about 100 militants were spotted by locals.
Recently, eight people, four schoolchildren and four police officers, were killed during an attack believed to have been orchestrated by Al Shabaab militants.
Last month, an IED explosion killed seven Rapid Border Unit officers and a civilian while another one was detonated by KDF officers in the area.
The A Shabaab attacks have gone down drastically for almost four years in the coastal region since the 2014 Mpeketoni terrorist attacks where more than 100 people were killed.
Pandanguo village was also attacked after militants stormed a police station and killed at least four security agents.
Inspector general of police Joseph Boinnet said the National Police Service will release a detailed report on the attack.
Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa says they have deployed more security agents to the Boni forest.
Marwa said the government is contemplating bombing the forest to flash out the Al Qaeda linked terror group.
The government launched Operation Linda Boni in 2015 to flush out Al Shabaab from the forest.
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