Two police officers have been killed, 10 injured in an ambush by al Shabaab militants at Bambo area, Mandera County.
The officers were riding on a lorry from Rhamu to Mandera town when they were ambushed at about 9 am.
Witnesses and police said the lorry was on administrative duties as it was also carrying food for officers on the ground when the incident happened.
The victims were shot at and sustained multiple gun shot wounds.
Locals claimed the militants had been sighted days earlier and were allegedly planting explosives.
The al Shabaab militants first tried to use a rocket propelled grenade on the lorry but missed prompting them to use rifles.
“They sprayed the lorry as it paced past where they had staged the ambush,” an officer said.
A police officer who survived the attack said their driver drove past the scene at high speed amid heavy gunfire.
“Unfortunately we lost two officers and others were injured. It could have been worse,” said the officer.
North Eastern regional police commander Rono Bunei confirmed the incident and said a reinforcement had been sent to the ground to pursue the attackers.
The lorry’s tyres were deflated but the driver managed to control it for almost 20 kilometers and called for medical help on those injured.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the area in the past months. This has grounded many operations in the expansive county, which has left at least 30 people dead.
The terrorists have been targeting security installations in the area in a series of incidents destroying them.
This has affected among others the education sector forcing tens of teachers who are non-locals to flee.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals.
The area is near the Somalia border and the militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
The insurgents have been attacking places in the region especially in Mandera and Garissa after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead or wounded.
They have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies and attacking them.
