Mandera assistant chief succumbs to injuries after grenade attack

Mandera, Kenya: A government official working with provincial administration who was seriously wounded after unknown armed men hurled hand grenade at his house in Mandera town on Wednesday evening has succumbed to his injuries.

Muhammed Ibrahim, an assistant chief of township, Mandera East district was attacked by the assailants, who eyewitnesses says came on a nondescript vehicle, before hurling hand grenades at his house.

Confirming the incident, the Mandera county police commander Noah Mwavinda said the attackers opened fire at the chief who had at the time just arrived at his house.

“The chief has now succumbed to his injuries while admitted at Mandera district referral hospital with facial injuries.” Mwavinda said.

He said the attackers fled, after been confronted by security officers, who were on patrol along the area and were responding to the alarm. Two years ago, a chief of the township was killed after unknown assailants accosted him on his way to his home and killed him after shooting him repeatedly from a close range.

Attackers suspected to be members of Al-Shabaab are known to have targeted government officials in previous similar attacks in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa, counties that share border with the war-ravaged Somalia.

On 30th August this year suspected Islamist militia threw hand grenades at central administration police post before escaping, while a week earlier another hand grenade planted inside a Miraa kiosk exploded injuring six people.