Kenya: 5 policemen killed by suspected al-Shabab extremists

NAIROBI, Kenya – A Kenyan official says suspected members of the Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab have killed five police officers in the northern county of Mandera.

North Eastern regional co-ordinator Mohamud Saleh said Wednesday the vehicle carrying the three police reservists and two administration police officers was attacked.

He says several other officers were injured in a second attack on security officials who responded Tuesday evening along the Elwak-Kotulo road.

Al-Shabab has carried out a series of attacks in Kenya since 2011, when Kenya deployed troops to neighbouring Somalia to fight the extremists.

Al-Shabab has vowed retribution for the Kenyan troop presence in Somalia. In recent years, most of the al-Shabab attacks have been limited to areas near the Somali border and have mainly targeted security forces.