• The reservists tried to fight off the attack Wednesday morning when they fell victims.
• They were guarding Banyole dam which is under construction when they came under attack.
Al-Shabaab militants struck for the third day running in Mandera killing one Kenya police reservist and injured two others before burning two tractors at a dam site.
The reservists tried to fight off the attack Wednesday morning when they fell victims.
They were guarding the Banyole dam which is under construction when they came under attack.
Witnesses said the gang went on to torch two tractors including an excavator that were at the site as other workers ran for their lives.
The attacks indicate the militants are now back in the area and roaming with impunity.
This has grounded many operations in the expansive county for the last two weeks, which has left at least 15 people dead.
On Tuesday morning, at least three police were injured when Al-Shabaab gunmen attacked their vehicle in Bambahowla area, Mandera County.
This came a day after the gang killed three people and abducted three others in Falama and Jabibar areas of the upper Northeastern region along the common border with Somalia.
On Tuesday, the police vehicle from Wargadud police station was heading for Elwak when those on board came under gun attack.
The driver managed to drive through but the attack left two Kenya Police Reservists and the acting Officer Commanding Station injured.
The victims were admitted to a local hospital with multiple injuries, police authorities said.
On Monday, the group staged two attacks targeting civilians travelling on trucks and killed three people before kidnapping three others, police said.
At Falama the terrorists hijacked a construction truck, kidnapped the driver and his crew before torching it while at Jabibar, the terrorists hijacked another lorry with five occupants before killing three and sparing the female passenger.
One Al-Shabaab militant was killed after the lorry that was carrying miraa ran over them. This was after the gang tried to stop it.
The driver later overturned few meters ahead enabling the gang to catch up with them, police said.
The particular group kidnapped the lorry driver. Those abducted are yet to be found but teams of security agents had joined the hunt on them.
The incidents come in the wake of a campaign mounted in the area by Governor Ali Roba, EAC Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed, local senator and a host of Members of Parliament against Al-Shabaab.
Regional Commissioner Nic Ndalana was also present in the two-day campaign in the area.
The leaders said Al-Shabaab remains the greatest enemy of development in Mandera and urged the locals to help security agents to tame them.
North Eastern police boss Rono Bunei said more personnel had joined in the hunt on the gang that is operating in the area and harassing motorists.
There are concerns the persistent attacks are grounding operations in the region. Transport has been grounded as there is little movements in fear of attacks.
Two weeks ago, officials at the Mandera County Government stopped the movement of their vehicles over increasing terror-related incidents in the area.
There are fears of more attacks after locals reported sighting more gunmen roaming in separate places while planning to strike.
Mandera County Secretary Abdinur Hussein released a memo on June 10 and explained strict regulations to be followed in the movements of their vehicles.
He told the county executive committee members to ensure no vehicle is on the road past 5 pm on any weekday.
Hussein said until further notice no vehicle will be authorized to travel to the sub-counties unless on emergency missions such as ambulances, health utility vehicles or Covid-19 pandemic responses, firefighting trucks, skip loaders and sanitation trucks.
The area of the attack, which is the northern part of the county has been a safe area since 2013 but has lately been a soft target.
Police have been mounting operations in the areas to deter their plans.
The terrorists have been targeting security installations in the area in a series of incidents destroying them.
This has affected among others the education sector forcing tens of teachers who are non-locals to flee.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals.
The area is near the Somalia border and the militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
Al-Shabaab insurgents have been attacking places in the region especially in Mandera and Garissa after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead or wounded.
They have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies and attacking them.