Survivors of an IED attack at Lamu’s Sankuri area along the Hindi-Kiunga road on Saturday have narrated their near-death ordeal in an incident suspected to have been the handiwork of Al shabab militants.
The three,Aden Farah who was the driver of the ill fated lorry, his co-driver Issa Abubakar and Ahmed the conductor Ahmed Khalif are currently admitted at the Lamu King Fahd hospital where they are receiving treatment for injuries sustained from the attack.
The three were part of a motorcade of lorries that were ferrying merchandise from the Mokowe depot in Lamu West and were on their way to their destination at the Usalama camp in Kiunga,Lamu East where the Lamu-Somalia border wall is being put up when their lorry ran over the IED injuring all three occupants.
The camp is about 300 kilometers from Mokowe.
The driver,Farah says having set out at about 6am,they had covered most of their journey, about 200 kilometres in three hours when the vehicle encountered the incident at around 8am.
Having used the road frequently,Farah said nothing gave away any clues of a possible IED on the road.
“The road appeared normal to me.Infact I was driving slowly as I waited for the lorry behind us to catch up.There was nothing off apart from the usual lonesomeness since vehicles rarely ply the road.I have used this road for years but nothing of this sort has ever happened.”said Farah.
Farah says he remembers hearing a loud explosion followed by the detachment of the front part of the lorry’s bonnet which flew into the air before the three were thrown out of the still moving lorry.
“It was scary considering I was conscious as all this was happening.I only realized I was injured on my leg after I had been thrown out.But I was able to see my conductor who was lying a few meters from where I was bleeding profusely.He had red open sores all over his body especially on his chest and legs.He was the worst injured of the three of us.I have been never been that scared and traumatized in life.
Farah says that for a minute,he thought would pounce from the bushes nearby and finish them off as has been the norm whenever IED attacks happen in the region.
Lady luck was however on their side as the other lorry arrived shortly after and helped them on board and embarked on a journey to the Kiunga dispensary hospital.
“Normally we have heard stories that when there is an IED attack,the Al shabaab are normally hanging around to finish off any survivors so you can imagine the horror in my mind at that time.But just a few minutes in,the other lorry arrived and picked us up,”he said.
Co-driver of the ill-fated lorry Isse Abubakar says a few minutes into the jouney to Kiunga,they came across security officers on patrol who later rushed them to the Kiunga dispensary for first aid before they were airlifted by a Kenya Defense Forces-KDF chopper to the Lamu King Fahad hospital where they are currently admitted.
“We are grateful to Allah.We know he was on our side because before went far after having been helped by the other lorry occupants,we came across KDF soldiers on patrol who the took over and ensured we got first aid then flew us here.Its like a bad dream we woke up from,”said Abubakar.
A doctor at the hospital who requested anonymity said the conductor who had sustained serious injuries to his chest,stomach,legs and waist area was in critical condition and that plans were being made to airlift him to Mombasa for specialized treatment.
He said the driver and his assistant were however responding well to treatment and would be discharged soon.
“The conductor isn’t looking too well and that’s why we are referring him but the other two are fine and should be discharged today or tomorrow,”he said.
Meanwhile,Linda Boni Operation Director Joseph Kanyiri said security officers were keenly investigating the incindet to establish who exactly planted the IED.
Lamu has had numerous incidents with Al shabaab militants who continue to target civilian and security personnel using IED attacks.
The Operation Linda Boni which is still underway since 2015,is meant to flush out the militants who are believed to be hiding inside the expansive Boni forest from where retreat after launching their attacks.