Mandera attack kills one, injures seven
A police officer attached to the Quick Response Unit (QRU) has died following an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Arabia Sub-County in Mandera County.
In a police report seen by this reporter, eight officers were in the wee hours of Sunday, September 3, 2023 morning conducting a normal patrol when the vehicle they were in ran over an IED in Ledhi area, Arabia Sub-County.
“Reinforcement patrol from Omar Jillo military camp and Arabia Police QRU was dispatched to the scene and managed to evacuate those who had been injured,” the report read in part.
Those who were critically injured were taken to Omar Jillo Military Camp for first aid while five who sustained minor injuries were taken directly to Mandera Sub-County Hospital.
Police identified the deceased officer as Hillary Muriima and two officers who were critically injured are; Albert Taura and Seremon Timpako.
Those who are receiving treatment in Mandera include; Onesmus Malonza, Joshua Katambe, Yatich Kandie, Moses Kipchumba and Bonface Muthomi.
The incident took place at a time when Kenya has already announced that it would go ahead and open the borders with Somalia.
In May, Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki said that Kenya would open the borders to improve trade between the two countries.
These border points – Mandera/Belet Hawo (Belethawa), Liboi-Harhar/Dhobley and Kiunga/Ras Kamboni – were closed at the height of al Shabaab attacks, hampering cross-border trade and the free movement of people and goods.
At a recent launch of the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia Borderlands Security Project, Kindiki emphasised the need for renewed partnerships.
“The programmes we implement as governments must be alive to the complex security challenges we face as a region today. We must all walk together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, to deliver for our people in the region,” he said.