NAIROBI,Kenya, Nov 10-Eight people, including five road construction workers, two National Police Reservists (NPRs) and a driver, have been killed in a suspected Al-Shabaab ambush targeting a security vehicle escorting an engineering team along the Arabia-Lafey road in Mandera County.
The attack occurred at around 7am on Tuesday in the Hagarsu area, approximately eight kilometres south of Arabia Police Station, as the team overseeing the ongoing road construction project under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) travelled along the route.
Preliminary police reports indicate that the attackers, suspected to be members of the Al-Shabaab militant group, opened fire on the team, killing all eight occupants of the vehicle.
The five construction workers were of non-local origin, while the driver was a local resident. The two security officers were Kenya Police Reservists attached to the escort team.
The bodies were moved to Mandera Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
A multi-agency security team comprising officers from the local police station, the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Counter Terrorism unit was dispatched to pursue the attackers.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif condemned the attack, describing it as a devastating loss for the families of the victims and the county.
“I am deeply saddened and strongly condemn the tragic ambush targeting a security vehicle escorting road construction…
