Al-Shabaab militants kill police reservist in Mandera town raid

Gunmen believed to be Al-Shabaab militants raided a town in Mandera County and killed a police reservist in an attack.

They had tried to bring down a communication mast in Warankara Town, Lafey, but got resistance from the security on the ground.

It was then that they kidnapped the reservist and vanished with him. His body was later discovered a few kilometres away. Police said the attackers escaped with his gun.

A young boy was injured in the Sunday morning incident.

 “In reaction, the gang abducted one reservist who was found dead in the area. A reinforcement has been sent to pursue the attackers,” said Regional Police Commander Rono Bunei.

He added they have enhanced operations to address the fears. Bunei added the security teams in the area managed to kill one of the attackers.

“We believe others escaped with injuries,” he said.

In recent years, counties in the Northern region have borne the brunt of frequent attacks from the Al-Shabaab militants. But this year, the number of attacks have decreased. Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties share a border with Somalia.

Local sympathisers have also been blamed for the attacks in the region which have always targeted security personnel and civil servants including teachers.

Kenya launched Operation Linda Nchi into Somalia on October 14, 2011 after gunmen seized tourists at the Coast which the government saw as a threat to the country's sovereignty as it targeted the nation's economic lifeline-tourism

Kenya's incursion into southern Somalia started after the kidnapping of two Spanish women, who were working for MSF at the Dadaab refugee camp.
The abductions were carried out by the militants who the troops planned to push away under the Operation Linda Nchi.
Two years later, the troops managed to take control of Kismayo port under Operation Sledge Hammer.

The troops have liberated many regions near Kenyan porous border.

Despite the operations the terrorists manage to cross into Kenya to launch attacks. They are supported by their remnants inside Kenya.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since the 1991 overthrow of President Siad Barre's military regime, which ushered in more than two decades of anarchy and conflict in a country deeply divided along clan lines.