Police and local officials say five road-project workers, two police reservists and a driver were killed when gunmen ambushed their security vehicle in Mandera County on Tuesday morning.
Eight people have been killed in an ambush on a team working on the Mandera–Arabia–Lafey road in north-eastern Kenya, close to the Somali border.
The attack happened on 10 November near Koromey, in the Hagarsu area. Reuters reported, citing police and a senior regional official, that the dead were five construction workers, two police reservists and the vehicle’s driver.
Kenyan outlets Citizen Digital and The Standard separately reported the same death toll after speaking to local police and security officials.
Seven died at the scene
Police said seven victims died at the scene. The driver was critically wounded and later died while being taken to Mandera County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Security reinforcements were deployed and a search for the attackers was under way. The identities of the victims had not been officially released when this report was published.
Responsibility not confirmed
No group had claimed responsibility. Authorities suspect al-Shabaab because of the location and pattern of the assault, but that attribution has not been independently established.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif condemned the killings and called for an urgent investigation, according to The Eastleigh Voice.
The attack occurred in a border region where Kenyan security forces have repeatedly confronted militants crossing from Somalia. Officials had not announced any arrests by the time of publication.
This is a developing story. BaretaNews will update it when authorities release further verified information.
Featured image: Police emergency lights. BaretaNews archive image used illustratively; it does not show the attack in Mandera.
