MANDERA, Kenya, Mar 24- A major security operation has been launched in Mandera County after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack killed 3 people and left dozens of others with injuries.
The IED hit a bus that was traveling from Lafey area to Mandera town, police said.
“The incident occurred along Mandera-Arabia road,” security officers in the area said.
The bus roof was completely ripped off, in the latest of such attacks.
Most of the attacks have been linked to the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab terror group, which has this year launched several attacks targeting civil servants, government premises, security installations, and communication masts.
On Sunday, police repulsed militants who attempted to attack a police station in Lafey area.
The same group has been linked to the Wednesday morning attack.
North Eastern Regional Police Commander Rono Bunei on Wednesday called for more support from locals, “so that we can ensure our region is safe. Police are doing everything to weed out criminals out of this area.”
The deceased were taken to the Mandera Referral hospital mortuary.
Mandera County has borne the brunt of a terror war in Somalia, largely due to its proximity to the war-torn country but also due to a porous border.
Al-Shabaab militants have been reported of closing to Kenya at will, using areas that are not manned by security forces.
But while efforts have been put in place to contain the situation, a diplomatic war between Kenya and Somalia has complicated the situation.
Somalia has since severed its relations with Kenya, citing alleged interference with its internal affairs.
The two countries are also engaged in a maritime dispute, that has seen Kenya make a last-minute decision to withdraw, due to alleged bias.
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