- County Commissioner Louis Rono said the attackers escaped the scene but police have launched a manhunt.
- In Marafa village, the attackers torched four houses.
Image: THE STAR
At least one person was on Saturday killed and several houses burnt in a raid in Marafa and Poromoko villages in Lamu County.
The heavily-armed assailants raided the villages around 9 pm and set several houses ablaze sparking fears in the area after a brief lull from such incidents, police said.
County Commissioner Louis Rono said the attackers escaped the scene but police have launched a manhunt.
According to locals, the victim was a 72-year-old man who was beheaded in the incident linked to suspected al Shabaab militants. The attackers also torched at least 10 houses.
In Marafa village, the attackers torched four houses and beheaded the 72-year-old man, identified as John Thuo.
According to preliminary findings, the attackers then proceeded to the neighbouring village of Poromoko where they torched at least six houses, slaughtered chicken and stole household items.
Among the torched houses belonged to a National Police Reservist in the area.
The attack comes about a lull of three months after a similar one in Widho-Mashambani in Lamu West in an incident that saw a gateman at Majembeni Primary killed after a brief abduction.
During the incident, seven houses were torched, chicken and goats slaughtered before the attackers retreated to Boni Forest.
In recent months, Lamu County has witnessed repeated attacks by Somali-based militants.
According to statistics, between June and September this year, at least 40 people, including security officers and civilians, have been killed by the attackers and more than 20 houses and a church torched in the county.
The targeted areas are near the Kenya-Somalia border where the terrorists cross at will and strike before escaping back.
This has led to many deaths and displacements. Such incidents are common in the area amid calls on the locals to raise alarm on them whenever they witness the same.
Police say they have upped their operations in the area to tame the plans for the attacks.
Police in October released the names and pictures of thirty-five people believed to be part of the terrorist group, al-Shabaab that has been terrorising Lamu residents.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the 35 are connected with the placement of explosive devices, the murders of civilians and the attack on the American military base at Manda in 2020.
The public have been asked to volunteer information about their whereabouts for an undisclosed financial reward.