WAJIR, Kenya, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Kenyan security officers were killed on Sunday after their vehicle they were traveling in ran over an improvised explosive device in the border region of Wajir County.
Northeastern regional coordinator Muhammad Saleh confirmed the incident in Bojigaras area and blamed it on Somali extremist group, al-Shabab, which was believed to have crossed border from Somalia.
"We suspect al-Shabab carried out the latest attack and later escaped soon after the blast," Saleh told journalists. He said the police vehicle was extensively damaged.
The government administrator said the deceased included five Administration Police Officers and three police reservists.
He said security has been beefed up in the area to hunt the perpetrators of such heinous act.
The latest incident comes after the police had on June 6 warned that Somali extremist group was planning to carry out terror attacks on key infrastructure in northeast Kenya including coast regions during the Muslims holy month of Ramadan.
The Sunday deaths were the latest and came after a long lull from terror related incidents that have been experienced in the area at large.
The al-Shabab have changed tactics and resorted to abductions and using improvised explosive devices to carry out attacks in parts of the Coast region and northeastern Kenya, according to police.
Kenya continues to come under attacks as terrorists change tuck to beat heightened security and carry on with their heinous acts undetected.
In the recent past, there have been numerous attacks involving landmines, grenades, or other explosive devices in northeast Kenya.
Most of these attacks occurred in northeastern Kenya, mainly in Lamu in the coastal region, Dadaab, Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties in northeastern region. Enditem
