Roadside bomb kills 10 Kenyan police near Somali border

Officials say police officers were killed when their vehicle struck an explosive device in Wajir County near Somali border, in a suspected militant attack.

Somalia-based Al Shabab militant group often targets Kenyan security forces, vowing retribution after Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the militants.
Reuters Archive

Somalia-based Al Shabab militant group often targets Kenyan security forces, vowing retribution after Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the militants.

At least 10 police officers were killed after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device near the Somali border in a suspected militant attack, Kenyan officials said on Saturday.

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

Police spokesman Charles Owino told Reuters news agency that he was still awaiting precise casualty figures.

Reservists kidnapped 

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 militant group often targets Kenyan security forces, vowing retribution after Kenya deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 to combat the militants.

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