LAMU—(AGGM) At last one police officer was killed and two others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in the coastal Lamu County on Sunday evening.
Coast regional police commander Larry Kieng on Monday confirmed the incident which took place at Mararani village, saying five police officers are still missing after attack.
Kieng said the vehicle belonging to Rapid Border Patrol Unit (RBPU) left the camp on Sunday for patrol with 12 police officers on board headed by Inspector of Police Boniface Maduli.
He said the police officers left the camp on foot to try and establish what had happened after a loud blast was headed between Mararani village and Sankuri Safaricom mast.
“The officers confirmed that the vehicle ran over an IED which was followed with rapid firing,” Kieng said.
In the process, he said Madilu was fatally injured and two other officers who have been airlifted to Manda Base for treatment.
“Three officers have been found to be safe while five other officers are still missing and are being search for,” the police commander said.
The Al-Shabaab has changed tactics and resorted to using IEDs to carry out attacks in parts of Coastal and northeast regions, according to police.
The police said the explosive devices strategically planted along the roads near Kenya Somalia border are slowing down security operations to flush out militants hiding in the vast Boni forest which is near the Somali border.
