Suspected Al-Shabaab militants spray bus with bullets in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya - Suspected Al-Shabaab militants ambushed a Nairobi-bound bus in the latest attack within Kenyan territory, a senior police officer said, in a raid that left at least eight passengers badly wounded, within the porous northeastern region.

Joshua Kitakwa, the Deputy County Commissioner for Mandera South, said the latest attack took place between El-Wak and Kotulo towns near the border of Mandera and Wajir counties. It's the first attack within Kenya by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in as many months.

“We are yet to know the exact number of injured people. So far no deaths have been reported,” the administrator told the Nation without giving many details. But a source within Kotulo Sub County Hospital said at least four people were in a critical condition.

“We have received at least eight victims but four are in need of specialized care,” said the source. The bus christened Makkah left Mandera town at about 8 am and was ambushed at about noon.

According to the Nation, a survivor who was interviewed in confidence said the gunshots deflated tyres besides damaging the fuel tank. “It rained bullets as the driver maneuvered. He stopped after the tyres were deflated,” he said.

The attackers fled without inspecting the bus, he added. Mohamed Rashid, the Kotulo MCA said he was informed that the attack was by about eight armed people.“Eyewitnesses say the attackers shot at the bus after the driver defied their order to stop,” said Mr. Rashid.

But according to the reports, the attack could have been a retaliation following recent incidents in the neighboring Somalia, where Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] was accused of killing a "civilian" besides "abducting" three others in Balad-Hawo and El-Wak respectively.

For the last one week, residents of the Balad-Hawo town near Mandera have been protesting over the incidents the victim, who reports associate with Al-Shabaab, has since been buried. It's believed that the militants planned the attack as retaliation over the incident.

“During the secret burial attended by an Al-Shabaab operation commander for the Gedo region, fighters were urged to prepare for a revenge mission. Konton KDF camp was mentioned as their key target,” reads the report.

It says the commander demanded a successful mission despite intensified security in the area, the Daily Nation reported.

“Al-Shabaab operatives are desperate and under pressure from their top commanders to attack a key target within our border with Somalia. They are also looking for drugs to treat their injured operatives so they might also target hospitals in addition to security camps,” the report says.

This comes a few days after President Uhuru Kenyatta ruled out the possibility of the US military conducting airstrikes in northeastern and coastal regions of the country. A report published by the New York Times suggested that the US Africa Command has made a formal request to the Department of Defense for the airstrikes.

GAROWE ONLINE