Suspected Al-Shabaab militants spotted In Mandera-Kenya, public transport halted

Mandera County police boss, Jeremiah Kosiom, declared that public transport within the county had been temporarily suspended until further notice following a possible terror threat.

Reports by the Nation claimed that a group of suspected Al-Shabaab militia were spotted along the Rhamu-Elwak road.

“We received information that suspected al-Shabaab militants, who were targeting public transport, had been sighted along the Mandera-Rhamu-Elwak road on Sunday.”  Kosiom divulged.

All vehicles plying the Mandera-Nairobi route were diverted back to town leading hundreds of passengers stranded.

The area police boss called for patience as his security officers combed Bambo, Chabi-bar, Selukatiffa, Rhamu and Elwak areas.

“Our officers are already on the ground to ensure that all is well before public transport resumes,” he reiterated.

This comes just 4 days after one National Police Reservist (NPR) was killed and another injured in a clash between Kenya security agencies and Al-Shabaab militants in Dawaduba, Fino in Mandera County.

The clash led to the death of one terror suspect with many believing the recent potential threat would have been a retaliatory attack over their slain comrade.

Last Saturday, a team of police officers were extremely fortunate to avoid a deadly blast after a landmine that had been set on the road went off on the highly dangerous road.

The team that was escorting buses on the Mandera-Rhamu-Elwak road divulged that the Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) had been planted on the side of the road with a timer set to specifically hit the police vehicle.

Back in March 2018, members of the Somalia-based terrorist group attacked a police station in the area and killed five police officers.

Kosiom affirmed that buses that were heading to Mandera from Nairobi and Wajir would remain in Elwak town until the route was declared secure for passage.

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