Kenyan officials say at least 10 police officers are dead after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device near the Somali border in a suspected extremist attack.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information, said those killed Saturday in Wajir County were among 13 officers who were pursuing extremists who had kidnapped police reservists.

Police on Friday said an unknown number of gunmen stormed Konton center in Wajir East and kidnapped three reservists.

There was no claim of responsibility for the latest attack. The Somalia-based al-Shabab extremist group often targets Kenyan security forces, vowing retribution after Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the extremists. </s> Five Kenyan police officers and three reservists were killed Sunday when their vehicle hit a homemade landmine in Wajir, northeast Kenya, a government official said.

 

 “We had an attack this afternoon and eight officers have been killed,” said northeastern regional coordinator, Mohamud Ali Saleh, the area’s top security official.

Saleh said the bombing occurred in Bojigaras, in the east of Wajir county.

“We suspect the involvement of the Shabaab and we are looking for them,” he added.

The use of improvised explosive devices against police and military patrols in the northern and eastern border regions with Somalia have become relatively common.

Over the past year, Shabaab insurgents, based in Somalia, have claimed several such attacks killing dozens of Kenyan police and soldiers. </s> At least 12 Kenyan police officers were reportedly killed after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) near the Somali border on Friday, 15th June 2019.

Kenya officials said those killed on Saturday 15th June 2019 in Wajir County along the border with Somalia, were among 13 police officers who were pursuing extremists who had kidnapped police reservists. 12 of them were killed in a suspected extremist attack, while another is reported to have escaped with serious injuries.

The incident took place between Riba and Konton villages in Wajir east. A senior Wajir police officer who declined to be identified confirmed the incident by suspected al-Shabab militants believed to have crossed over from neighboring Somalia.

“A team of 13 administration police officers were attacked with IED between Riba and Konton and only one survived with serious injuries subject to confirmation of the number of death toll,” said the police officer.

The security officer issued that the killed police officers were allegedly conducting security surveillance along Kenya-Somalia border when the incident happened as militants stormed a local center and abducted three police reservists in the same location two days before the incident.

Witnesses said the police officers were killed when their vehicle ran over the landmine and those who survived were pursued and shot dead.

“A police chopper has been sent to pick the only survivor,” he added.

Somali al Shabaab insurgents claimed responsibility on Friday for kidnapping three Kenyan police reservists from Wajir, in northeast Kenya near the Somali border.

Al Shabaab said that it also took hostage of several Kenyan police officers and confiscated two motorbikes as well as military equipment.

“Last night, we captured a village called Konton in Wajir County. We left the village and took three Kenyan policemen with us,” Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s spokesman for military operations, told Reuters by phone, according to France 24.

Kenyan military forces have occupied part of southern Somalia along the two countries’ shared border since 2011. </s> A Kenyan legislator says eight police officers have died in his constituency after the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a roadside bomb planted by suspected extremists.

Ahmed Bashane sent condolences to the families of those who died in the attack in Tarbaj in Wajir County in northeastern Kenya. No group has claimed responsibility for the bomb but suspicion has fallen on Somalia’s extremist group al-Shabab which has carried out a wave of attacks in Kenya since 2011. Al Shabab has vowed retribution because Kenya sent troops to Somalia to fight the group waging an insurgency against Somalia’s weak U.N.-backed government.

Earlier this month six police officers were killed when their truck run over a roadside bomb in Liboi, Lamu County. Authorities blamed al-Shabab for that attack. </s> A roadside bomb has hit a vehicle patrolling near Kenya's border with Somalia, killing several of the 11 police officers aboard.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Somali Islamist insurgents frequently carry out attacks on Kenyan security forces.

Somali al Shabaab insurgents claimed responsibility on Friday for kidnapping three Kenyan police reservists from Wajir, in northeast Kenya near the Somali border.

Kenyan military forces have occupied part of southern Somalia along the two countries' shared border since 2011.

The Kenyans, along with allied Somali militia, wrested back control of the territory from al Shabaab after a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil. </s> NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — At least 10 Kenyan police officers died after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device near the Somali border in a suspected extremist attack on Saturday, officials said.

Those killed in the Wajir County blast were among 13 officers who had been pursuing suspected extremists who had kidnapped police reservists, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information.

Police on Friday said a number of gunmen thought to be members of the Somalia-based al-Shabab extremist group stormed Konton center in Wajir East and kidnapped three reservists.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack. Al-Shabab often targets Kenyan security forces. It has vowed retribution for Kenya’s deployment of troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the extremists after they carried out high-profile kidnappings inside Kenya and hurt the country’s lucrative tourism industry.

In recent months the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab has resumed the abductions.

In April the extremist group kidnapped two Cuban doctors in Mandera County and demanded $1.5 million for their return.

In November an Italian volunteer, Silvia Romano, was kidnapped in southern Kenya’s coastal region by gunmen linked to al-Shabab. She has not been found. </s> NAIROBI, June 15 (Reuters) - A roadside bomb hit a vehicle patrolling near Kenya's border with Somalia on Saturday, killing several of the 11 police officers onboard, the police spokesman said.

Charles Owino told Reuters that he was still awaiting exact casualty figures.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Somali Islamist insurgents carry out frequent attacks on Kenyan security forces.

Somali al Shabaab insurgents claimed responsibility on Friday for kidnapping three Kenyan police reservists from Wajir, in northeast Kenya near the Somali border.

"Last night, we captured a village called Konton in Wajir county. We left the village and took three Kenyan policemen with us," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's spokesman for military operations, told Reuters by phone.

Kenyan military forces have occupied part of southern Somalia along the two countries' shared border since 2011. The Kenyans, along with allied Somali militia, wrested back control of the territory from al Shabaab after a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil. </s> NAIROBI (Reuters) - A roadside bomb hit a vehicle carrying 11 police officers near Kenya’s border with Somalia on Saturday, killing several of the officers, the police spokesman said.

Charles Owino told Reuters he was still awaiting precise casualty figures.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Somali Islamist insurgents frequently attack Kenyan security forces. </s> "We had an attack this afternoon and eight officers have been killed," said northeastern regional coordinator, Mohamud Ali Saleh, the area's top security official.

Saleh said the bombing occurred in Bojigaras, in the east of Wajir county.

"We suspect the involvement of the Shabaab and we are looking for them," he added.

The use of improvised explosive devices against police and military patrols in the northern and eastern border regions with Somalia have become relatively common.

Over the past year, ‘Shabaab’ insurgents, based in Somalia, have claimed several such attacks killing dozens of Kenyan police and soldiers.
12 Kenyan police officers are killed when their vehicle hits a roadside bomb in east Wajir County, near the Somali border. No one has claimed responsibility, though the police had been pursuing suspected al-Shabab militants fighting Somalia's government and its backers.