7 Confirmed dead in suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya
At least seven people have been confirmed dead and 13 others are nursing injuries at Mandera County Referral Hospital after a matatu they were traveling in ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in Mandera today morning.
The 14-seater matatu plying the Mandera Arabia road left the Arabia township at about 6am before running over the explosive less than 8 kilometres to Mandera town at around 7am.
Abdi Dube, a survivor and eye witness told the press that gunshots were heard before the Matatu was blown up.
According to the police, the attack was carried out by a gang of six who fled towards the Somali border.
Bunei Rono, North Eastern region police spokesperson says they have arrested one suspect in connection with the explosion and he is being questioned by the detectives.
Abdi Maalim, the Mandera County Director of Health Services said the county referral hospital received a total of seven bodies from the scene and 13 injured patients with four in critical condition.
“We have seven bodies from the scene and thirteen injured patients who are receiving treatment at the moment,” he said.
A similar incident happened in the same location last year in March 2021, after a bus ran over an IED killing several people dead.
The attack comes days after several European countries(including French embassy, German Embassy & Dutch Mission) warned Kenya of the risk of possible attacks and urged their nationals to avoid public places.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault.
