Operations underway to rescue five Kenyans kidnapped by suspected Al Shabaab members

Operations are underway in Boni and Kiunga forests at the Kenyan Coast to locate and rescue five Kenyans kidnapped by suspected Al Shabaab members on Friday. The five were ferrying Miraa from Meru to Kiunga when they were waylaid by the heavily armed militia.

On Saturday, Lamu County Commissioner Mr Njenga Miiri confirmed the incident and said that a Multi-Agency operation has been launched to locate and rescue the five. Mr Miiri said the five were in two land cruisers transporting the Khat to Kiunga and were carjacked between Mangai and Basuba area near Kiunga border to Somalia.

The security officers on the ground say the raiders drove the captives for a few kilometers before offloading the khat they were ferrying to Kiunga.

According to locals, the attackers were numbering about ten men raising fear that they could be part of the gang that has been terrorising Lamu and Tana River counties killing more than 80 people in the past months.

Source: The Standard