MANDERA, Kenya, July 25– Kenyan police on Friday evening foiled an attack by suspected al-Shabaab militants in Mandera County in northeastern Kenya near the border with Somalia.
Police said on Saturday that an unknown number of al-Shabaab insurgents attacked the Fino security camp, but security officers swiftly engaged and repelled the assailants.
During the attack, a student was shot in the stomach and was rushed to hospital, where the victim is in stable condition, according to a police security report. It added that a security operation is underway to clear the area.
Residents said the attack began in Fino between 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) and 7:00 p.m. (1600 GMT), with a similar assault reported in Arabia about an hour later. Heavy gunfire was also reported in the Asharaf area of neighboring Mandera County.
Mandera County and other parts of northern Kenya have witnessed a series of attacks by al-Shabaab militants since Kenya deployed troops to Somalia to combat the extremist group.
The latest attack comes amid heightened security across the country following threats by the Somalia-based militant group to carry out retaliatory attacks unless Kenya withdraws the troops it deployed to the border regions with Somalia in 2011. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
