Al-Shabaab terrorists destroyed communication mast in Mandera
Gunmen believed to al-Shabaab militants attacked and destroyed a communication mast in Slaughter area, Rhamu, Mandera County leaving many out of reach.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the area after a long lull.
The lull was out of persistent security operations in the region and in particular near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Security officials said they heard a loud bang from the area on Monday morning and when they checked, they established the installation had been destroyed by a bomb that was set up by the militants.
The attackers escaped soon after the incident as the six police reservists guarding the facility responded to the attack.
Northeastern police boss George Seda said they had deployed more police officers to pursue the attackers who escaped towards the border.
No injury was reported in the latest incident. The masts are usually manned by police officers in the region.
The terrorists have been targeting security installations in the area. This is despite campaigns to address the insecurity menace in the area.
This has affected the education sector, forcing tens of teachers who are non-locals to leave.
Other professionals also escaped amid mounted security operations.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals. Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
The area is near the Somalia border and the militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
Al-Shabaab terrorists have been attacking places in the region, especially in Mandera and Garissa counties after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead and wounded.
The terrorists have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies. More personnel have since been sent to the area and operations by the Border Patrol Unit heightened to tame the surge.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia to pursue and suppress the activities of the terror group.
Source: The Star
