Somalia-based militants attack Kenyan bus, kill passengers

LAMU, Kenya - Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants continued inflicting massacre on civilians with the latest attack targeting a passenger bus in Kenya's coastal town of Lamu.

Armed with guns, witnesses said, the suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked a Mombasa Raha bus at Nyongoro village within Lamu, killing at least three people.

The bus was headed to the tourist town of Lamu from Mombasa when the incident happened at around 10:30 am local time, the government said.

Macharia Irungu, the Lamu County Commissioner, confirmed the deadly incident but could not establish the number of casualties.

"I have heard of such an incident but I am headed to the scene...I am also liaising with officers on the ground. Details on injuries, casualties or the bus company are yet to be established but I'll give details soonest," told reporters.

Militants spared women and children

Multiple sources from the coastal time have hinted that the number of casualties could be hired, with only a few managing to escape the ordeal.

Those who escaped to the nearby bushes, reports indicate, confirmed that three people were killed immediately the bus was stopped.

Among those killed was a police officer from the Special Forces who was escorting the bus in accordance with regulations of the government.

A source told Garowe Online that "women and children were spared by the attackers but men within the bus were executed. The number could rise".

Interior ministry yet to issue a statement

The interior ministry is yet to issue any statement with regard to the attack, over five hours later.

The county is however situated in a remote part of the country which experiences communication breakdown.

Dr. Fred Matiang'i, the minister in charge of the ministry, assured travelers recently that police had taken charge during the festive season.

Lamu one of the most insecure regions

Cases of Al-Shabaab attacks within Lamu County are now new. In December 2019, two senior administrators were killed by the suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

The government has deployed Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in the county under Operation Linda Boni Forest through an act of Parliament.

Boni Forest in Lamu is believed to be the breeding ground for the Al-Shabaab militants. Several landmines planted by Al-Shabaab have been detonated before in the forest.

Sometimes in 2014, the militants sneaked through the forest from Somalia, killing close to 70 people at Mpeketoni in Lamu.

The second attack targeting a passenger bus

Thursday's attack is the second incident in which the militants have targeted a passenger bus in a span of one month within Kenya.

In December 6th, 2019, at least 11 passengers were butchered by the militants at the Kutulo area in Wajir County. Attackers targeted non-locals.

Most of the victims were police officers returning to their work station in Mandera. A doctor and two teachers were among the victims.

Similarly, the Al-Shabaab militants unleashed on passengers in Rhamu town a few kilometers from Mandera in 2014, killing 21 people on the spot.

Kenya and Somalia most affected

While the group has been neutralized to a larger extent due to cooperation within the international community, it has however managed to launch deadly attacks.

On Saturday, the militants managed to kill at least 90 people in Mogadishu. In a statement on Monday, the group said: "we targeted Turkish convoy".

It was the first time the group apologized for bombing civilians. During the attack, two Turkish nationals died along with 17 police officers.

Within a period of one month, Al-Shabaab has also kidnapped six Kenyans.

Four construction workers were kidnapped in Wajir while two businessmen were also abducted in Garissa last week.

Kenya launched Modika Barracks in Garissa last month which will play home to KDF 6th battalion, which has been mandated to secure the porous Kenya-Somalia border.

GAROWE ONLINE