A security officer was killed early Monday morning after suspected Al Shabaab militants attacked a guesthouse in Mandera town.
The militants were targeting a guest house which they suspected was hosting non locals at 2.30am.
“We believe the assailants were targeting Jabane guesthouse which they thought could be accommodating some non-local guests, but there were none during the attack,” said Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia.
The county commissioner said the heavy explosive partly destroyed the hotel and Equity bank which is located adjacent the guesthouse.
He said the KPR officer who was manning the Deputy Governor Omar Maalim Mohamed’s residence a few meters away was killed by the attackers while they were retreating after shooting at the officers.
READ MORE
Foreign fighters flocking to Islamic State in Somalia
Leaders urge state to reopen Mandera border
Why top foreign jihadists turned Kenya into terrorists' playground
Abdirahman Mohamud had responded to movements near a bank in the town at about 2am when he was shot by the terrorists, police said.
Shisia noted that the attack was purely targeting the guesthouse, and not the deputy governor.
The gang of about eight men had planted Improvised Explosive Devices and engaged security agents in shootout before escaping.
It is not clear if the deputy governor was in his house at the time of the incident. Politicians in the area rely on both police and KPRs for their protection.
