Six killed as gunmen ambush Mandera matatu

At least six people were shot dead while others were injured after gunmen attacked a passenger vehicle in Mandera East Constituency.

Police confirmed the incident, saying it occurred on Saturday morning.

Although the motive was not immediately established, officials suspect the attackers were al-Shabaab militants.

The 14-seater vehicle, which had left Mandera town for Arabia town, was ambushed at Beer-Awayon village.

Emergency medical teams rushed the injured victims to Mandera Referral Hospital for treatment.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of those killed.

The area lies near the Kenya-Somalia border, which has frequently been breached by al-Shabaab gunmen.

Meanwhile, a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) exploded along the Elwak–Eresuki road in Mandera County in what authorities believe was a failed attempt to target security personnel.

The officers targeted were guarding a government infrastructure project.

According to police, the incident occurred on the morning of Thursday, May 7, near a borrow pit where marram is being extracted for the Horn of Africa Gateway Project.

A joint patrol team comprising officers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Police Service (NPS) visited the scene and established that a directional IED had detonated along the road.

No injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.

Security operations in the area have since been intensified as investigations continue into those behind the attack.