Conflicting Reports on Al Shabaab Attack in Garissa

The militiamen are said to have ambushed some officers in the village after others died when their vehicle hit a landmine planted by the militants, Reuters reported.

Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has, however, denied reports of an attack in the area, saying that there was only one officer injured after a landmine exploded under the vehicle he was travelling in.

In a tweet, the CS said “No police officers confirmed dead from the #YumbisAttack, one officer who is injured has been airlifted to Nairobi for further treatment.”

Earlier, the official verified presidential press service twitter account ran a tweet saying “I mourn and pray with the family and friends of the police officers who lost their lives in Yumbi. They died protecting us. I salute them.”

The tweet was later pulled down.

International media, quoting an Al-Shabaab spokesman, reported that about 20 police officers were feared dead in the attack which took place Monday evening.

Seven Al Shabaab Killed

The attack came just hours after seven Al Shabaab militants were reportedly killed by KDF soldiers at Hawina area in Somalia near the Kenya-Somalia border on Monday morning.

KDF spokesman Colonel David Obonyo said that the operation was aimed at stopping the Al Shabaab members from entering the Kenyan territory.

Obonyo said that during the operation, two KDF soldiers were injured and heavy weapons including grenades belonging to the terrorists recovered.