Kenyan soldiers injured in Al-Shabaab bomb attack

NAIROBI, Kenya - A group of Kenya Special Forces were critically injured on Sunday during a patrol in the northeastern province just near Kotulo area, officials said, moments after they were informed of Al-Shabaab activities in the area.

According to police reports, the officers were injured while activating their operations. They were on board two vehicles including an MRAP and a DCD vehicle.

The DCD ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that had been planted on the road by the militants. The vehicle was left badly damaged after the explosion, with at least eight police officers left injured.

The other vehicle that was trailing it stopped and helped to evacuate the injured to the hospital. The incident happened at night and the Al-Shabaab militants are said to have been monitoring the team before the explosion.

The injured were rushed to hospital in serious condition, police said. This is the first time the militants have staged a serious attack in the northeastern region after months of relative calmness due to robust security operations within the region.

Kenya has established more Forward Operating Bases along the Kenya-Somalia border in anticipation of the transition within Somalia, which would see more soldiers drifting to the border where they are expected to improve surveillance.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has been conducting multi-agency operations along the region and recently, President William Ruto elevated the Wajir Airbase by making it fully operational in anticipation of sophisticated operations.

GAROWE ONLINE