KDF bomb Boni forest in hunt for Al-Shabaab terrorists
By Cyrus Ombati | Updated Thu, July 6th 2017 at
10:20 GMT +3 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Some of the
Security operations around Boni Forest areas in Lamu County. (Photo: File) A
contingent of security personnel was deployed to the expansive Boni Forest to
hunt Al-Shabaab terrorists who had killed three police officers and burned down
Pandaguo police post in Lamu on Wednesday.
Villagers said there were explosions Wednesday
morning as the security teams continued to pursue the gang of 150 that had
raided the place and stole guns and medicine. But questions were raised on the
role of the locals in the raid after it emerged the raiders had prayed in a
local mosque before they staged the attack. They went to the mosque at about 5
am for the morning prayers. It was then that they marched to the local police
post and dispensary and looted guns and medicines respectively before setting
them ablaze.
The attackers also commandeered a police
vehicle and burnt a nearby communication mast before escaping. ALSO READ:
Bombing Boni forest is not the solution Top security commanders from Nairobi
were expected in the area to assure the locals of their security ahead of the
election. But other officers accused locals of colluding with the terrorists to
attack them.
"How comes those who went with them to the
mosque never bothered to alert us? They must have done so intentionally,"
said a senior officer in the area who argued it was unbelievable 150 people
would pray there undetected. Three police officers were killed and one
seriously wounded. Fourteen others survived the attack, said police spokesman
George Kinoti.
Kinoti
said unknown number of terrorists were killed following hours of
counter-attacks launched by reinforcement teams. The attackers used RPGs
(rocket-propelled grenades) and other small arms in the attack in which several
tents were destroyed. Witnesses said a number of villagers had escaped from
their homes with a number of schools closing as the security agents engaged in
gun battles with the militants. ALSO READ: Security officers on the spot after
discovery of Mandera shallow grave The area is among that had received a
facelift by the Government under Operation Linda Boni as part of efforts to
ensure locals receive services.
Security agents including those from Kenya
Defence Forces responded to the scene pushing them into the nearby Boni Forest
in a shootout. Their ground response was however slowed down by fears of mines
that the terrorists could have planted on the roads leading to their escape
routes. Military choppers were deployed there to assist in locating the
militants. The area has been new wave of attacks in the area in the past months
claiming more than ten lives. On June 27, four pupils and four policemen were
killed in an IED attack launched by the militants in Kiunga on a police
vehicle. The lorry was carrying 19 Administration Police officers and 15
civilians most of whom were children who had hiked a lift from Mararani to Kiunga
when the incident happened. ALSO READ: Pandaguo attack update: Two policemen
dead, seven injured Security agents were two weeks ago warned of Al-Shabaab
attacks within Kiunga area, Milihoi, after roughly 100 of them were spotted by
locals.
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