Suspected Shabaab attackers injure four officers in Garissa

Four police officers have been injured when they were ambushed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Garissa's Ijara Sub-County on Tuesday evening.

Garissa County Police Commander David Kerina told the Nation that the officers were escorting a grader when they were ambushed between Sangailu and Handaro in Ijara by heavily armed suspected members of Al-Shabaab.

He said police officers exchanged heavy gun fire with the suspected militants who fled after they were overpowered.

The injured officers received first aid at Ijara Dispensary before being transferred to Masalani and later flown to Nairobi. There were seven officers at the time of the ambush.

BONI FOREST

Ijara is located near the dense Boni Forest which has been a hideout for Al-Shabaab militants.

"Four of our officers have been injured although they are all out of danger. Just slight injuries and they have been airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment," the county police boss told the Nation.

Mr Kerina said they are yet to establish whether there were casualties on the attackers’ side, adding that more security officers had been sent to the area to pursue the militants.

The militants have in the recent past targeted security officers on patrol along the Kenya-Somalia border by planting explosives on the road.

Five GSU officers were killed on June 6 at the Liboi border when their vehicle was hit by a landmine. The officers were patrol along the porous border.