Shabaab militants destroy Safaricom telecommunication mast in Elwak, Mandera County

What you need to know:

County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the attack occurred at about 1.45am Monday.
Mr Shisia denied that the attack was a spill over from Somalia’s Elwak.
He said more security agents were on the ground to ensure “things get back to normal.”
Dabacity has become a terror hotspot recording about four incidents in less than one month.

Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have attacked Dabacity in Elwak, Mandera County and destroyed a Safaricom telecommunication mast.

County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the attack occurred at about 1.45am Monday.

He said the attackers overpowered the five Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) deployed to guard the mast.

“The five KPRs guarding the installation tried to resist but the weapons of the attackers were superior forcing them to run for safety,” he said.

He said the KPR’s intervention limited the damage caused by the attackers.

Mr Shisia denied that the attack was a spill over from Somalia’s Elwak where militants were reported to have seized the town on Sunday evening.

“There is no relationship with what happened at Elwak, Somalia. This is a normal terrorist attack according to our assessment,” he said.

Mr Shisia said more security agents were on the ground to ensure “things get back to normal.”

“We have enough security agents in the area and road users can go on with their business without fear of being attacked,” he said.

Dabacity has become a terror hotspot recording about four incidents in less than one month.

On November 29, 2016, police on patrol in the same area escaped an explosion attack.

On December 3, 2016, three occupants of a fuel truck sustained minor injuries after a roadside bomb exploded on them.

Security agents recovered weapons believed to belong to Al-Shabaab as the attackers escaped into the bush.