Kenya: KDF soldiers killed in Al-Shabaab's IED explosion

NAIROBI, Kenya - Two soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces [KDF died on Sunday following an Improvised Explosive Devices [IED] explosion within Lamu County, where they had rushed to for a recovery mission after a suspected Al-Shabaab attack targeting their counterparts from General Service Unit [GSU].

The explosion took place at Mlima wa Faru in Lamu while 10 GSU officers had been badly injured following a similar attack after their Armoured Personnel Carrier ran over an IED, leading to several injuries.

Brigadier Zipporah Kioko, the Chief of the KDF Strategic Communications said the KDF troops stationed in the area responded to the attack when their vehicle was hit. The site of the attack lies between Pandaguo and Witu within the insecure Lamu County.

“They moved swiftly to secure the area and recover the wounded. Regrettably, during the recovery operation, two KDF personnel were fatally wounded in a follow-up ambush,” Brig. Kioko said.

Lamu West Deputy County Commissioner Gabriel Kioni confirmed the two incidents adding that the GSU officers were on their routine patrol within the Pandanguo route which borders the vast Boni forest, local media reported.

“The APC was first hit by a roadside bomb and when the KDF team responded aboard a Toyota Landcruiser, they were hit and we have casualties,” a senior government official said.

“After the initial attack, the militants came out of the forest and tried to attack the officers but the KDF response team arrived and were also ambushed,” he added while confirming that those injured have been taken to various hospitals for treatment.

Lately, Al-Shabaab militants have been targeting KDF soldiers and other security forces within the border, with the group killing 8 officers in separate attacks last week.

The militants targeted Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, and Lamu counties in the series of attacks, with the government insisting that the borders are safe.

GAROWE ONLINE