12 dead in deadly Mandera attack

At least 12 people have been confirmed dead and ten others injured after suspected Al-Shabaab gunmen attacked a lodging in Mandera Town on Monday night.

Speaking to Citizen Digital earlier, county police boss Job Boronjo said security officers are monitoring the situation and will be giving updates during the day.

North Eastern Regional Coordinator Amb Mohamud Saleh has however ruled out direct involvement of Al-Shabaab militants in last night’s attack saying preliminary investigations shows that the 3.00 am attack was carried out by radicalised criminal gangs operating within Mandera Town who used Improvised Explosive Devices to blow up a section of the hotel.

According to Amb Saleh, the entire town has been cordoned off to allow for a search and rescue operation, adding that most of the victims succumbed to injuries sustained from falling debris.

Saleh regretted that most prominent people and the business community have relocated to Mombasa and Nairobi leaving behind common wananchi at the mercy of the radicalised youth and Al-Shabaab sympathisers.

He said five people have been arrested in connection with a previous attack in the town, with three of them being members of the Al-Shabaab Harakat intelligence wing.

Meanwhile leaders from North Eastern Kenya have condemned the attack in Mandera and called for increased security.

Speaking in Marsbabit, Mandera Governor Ali Roba called on the government to increase the number of reserve police officers by 300 in the region to boost security.

At the same time, Marsabit Governor Ukur Yattani has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to address the insecurity challenges in the region.

Those killed include 11 men and one woman.

The attack comes barely three weeks after six people lost their lives in an attack by armed Al-Shabaab militiamen on a residential area in Mandera Town.

One person was injured in the early morning attack that took place at Bulla public works plot.

North Eastern Regional Commander Edward Mwamburi in a phone interview then told Citizen Digital that the assailants, who were reportedly clad in the Kenyan army uniform, escaped towards Somalia.

Additional details by Gentrix Oduor