Once again Lamu county is under curfew following three major attacks by al Shabaab terrorists. It seems like a return to the bad old days.
Area police boss Muchangi Kioi on Wednesday announced that the county will be under indefinite curfew from 10pm to 4am daily.
Kioi said the curfew would allow security agencies to monitor suspicious activities and prevent terror attacks.
He ordered all vehicles transporting goods to Lamu to be subjected to a thorough police search at Mokowe Jetty.
Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia said that private cars and motorbikes sometimes used by criminals.
Lamu has been under curfew before when al Shabaab was active, attacks were common. Eventually, the state had proclaimed the area safe and major threats "neutralised". It has acknowledged "pockets" of militants and sympathisers.
However, once again Lamu county has suffered attacks, leading to loss of lives and property.
On Sunday at 5.30am, a US military service member and two US contractors were killed in an al Shabaab attack on a military base and Manda Airstrip used by US and Kenyan military. They destroyed aircraft and military vehicles.
Two Department of Defense personnel were wounded.
Five suspects were arrested in connection with the attack. Four Shabaab members were killed.
Hundreds of residents have fled their villages near the base, fearing more attacks. The state had ordered children near Boni Forest to return to school but that will be difficult. Teachers too may fear to return though they are to stay in highy secured military camps.
Last Thursday A bus convoy was attacked in Lamu. Three passengers and a conductor were killed. Several other people were injured. Attackers asked passengers to recite verses from the Koran to identify who were Muslim.
The militia group has also intensified its operations elsewhere, especially in Garissa and Mandera counties.
On Tuesday at about 2.30am, four school-going children and a teacher were killed — probably by stray bullets – by al Shabaab militia. The attack occurred near Saretho police camp in Garissa county on January 7. It's 25km from Dadaab refugee camp.
Militants destroyed a Safaricom mast to disrupt communications and ensure no one could call for help.
Two Shabaab attackers were killed.
“Police officers on patrol thwarted an al-Shabaab attack and managed to neutralize two of the attackers and recovered two AK47 assault rifles, improvised explosive device making materials, and other crude weapons,” Police spokesman Charles Owino said in a statement.
(Edited by V. Graham)
