Shabaab kill six, abduct four in daring raid on AP camp
Six people were killed and four others abducted when Al-Shabaab militants raided an Administration Police camp in Wajir on Wednesday evening.
The Islamists invaded Gerille town on the Kenya-Somalia border and bombed the camp, reducing it to ashes.
In a statement, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said: “About 100 heavily-armed bandits attacked Gerille Administration Police Post in Wajir South District at around 6.30pm. Six persons, including two Administration Police Officers, were killed and three others were injured.
The bandits also robbed firearms, ammunition and a car from the post. A district officer, the area location chief and one member of public are missing and believed to have been abducted by the bandits. The bandits also committed arson by burning several properties within the post.”
The North Eastern deputy provincial commissioner, Mr Wenslas Ongayo, said most of those killed and injured were shot while fleeing to safety.
He said an administration policeman and a driver were also kidnapped.
“They raided the centre at about 6.30pm as locals were heading to the Mosque and other centres for evening prayers while the registration officers were distributing IDs,” Mr Ongayo said.
Last evening, the Somali militant group that is fighting the Transitional Federal Government claimed responsibility for the attack. The militants said the raid was in response to Kenya’s decision to send troops into Somalia in October. (READ: Al-Shabaab propaganda video declares Jihad against Kenya)
Launched manhunt
Following the attack, the government launched a manhunt for the raiders using helicopter gunships and ground forces.
“The government dispatched a combined team of security personnel backed by two helicopters to pursue the bandits, rescue the abducted people and recover the stolen goods,” said Mr Iteere.
Police and military helicopters were airborne the whole of on Thursday, but after hours of surveillance, they did not report any “movement” on the ground.
One officer explained that failure to detect any movement suggested that neither the assailants nor the victims had been spotted.
Mr Abdi Ali, an AP inspector injured in the attack, said the raid was carried out by more than 100 militants. “Heavy artillery including grenades were used before they opened gunfire at the unsuspecting administration police officers at the camp,” he said from his hospital bed.
He said the attackers were chanting “Allah Akbar” (God is great) after ransacking the AP camp.
North Eastern provincial security team led by area provincial commissioner James ole Seriani visited the scene of the attack.
The district registrar of persons and his team had pitched tent in the area for three days to issue national identity cards to applicants.
Gerille divisional headquarters is 15 kilometres from the Somali border, it neighbours Gerille border town in Somalia where recently the Kenya Defence Forces lost a gunner whose body was brought in Garissa town for burial.
Reported By Fred Mukinda, Issa Hussein, Hassan Huka and Nurdin Elmoge
