Al-Shabaab blow KDF truck in Lamu, Kenya

By Fauxile Kibet

LAMU, KENYA: Three Kenyan soldiers were injured after their vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Lamu along Kenya’s coast.

According to Lamu East Police commander SSP Gilbert Mugambi, the soldiers were part of the team involved in an operation to flush out the militants following the recent kidnapping of an Italian social worker.

Mugambi said that two suspected Al-Shabaab militants were later arrested while planting another IED on the same road by security agencies that responded after the incident.

The police boss added that the suspects were arrested as they attempted to plant an IED in wait for the return of a military convoy that was pursing the missing Italian believed to have been taken hostage by the militants.

Witnesses said the KDF land cruiser truck was burnt as heavy gunfire rent the air in Bothai area during the morning incident but Mugambi said that no soldier was injured during the shoot out.

RESCUE OPERATION

Kenyan security officials continue to search for the Italian Social Worker Silvia Romano who was kidnapped by gunmen more than two weeks ago.

A multi-agency security team comprising of police and army units has reportedly sealed off Boni forest and the areas bordering Lamu, Garisa and Tana River counties in search of the bandits who also injured five locals at Chakama in Kilifi during the ambush.

Coast regional coordinator Bernard Leparmarai responded to concerns that the operation was taking too long by saying that the harsh weather condition and poor communication had affected the mission.

“The operation has been hampered by harsh weather conditions such as and road network,” he said adding that lack of communication infrastructure in the remote hinterland had also affected the operation.