1 killed, 2 others injured in Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya's Lamu

At least one person was killed and two others injured, one critically on Wednesday evening in suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya's coastal region of Lamu near the Somali border.

Regional police commander Francis Wanjohi said at least 15 heavily armed militants also burnt three vehicles before escaping with a police vehicle on patrol at Milihoi, between the volatile Mpeketoni and Hindi townships where over 60 people were killed last year.

"The driver of the truck was killed after being burnt along with the vehicle while an Administration of Police officer was critically injured. The police vehicle is still missing, but efforts are underway to trace it," Wanjohi told Xinhua by telephone on Thursday.

Wanjohi said security officers are still pursuing the gunmen who had ambushed the police on patrol. He said the gunmen also stole the pistol from the injured police officer and used the police vehicle to escape in the vast forest.

James Ole Seriani, the top government official in charge of the joint task force leading operations against insurgents in Lamu County, said the police vehicle had two occupants while the truck had only a driver.

"We had an attack that targeted convoy along Malindi-Lamu highway but our officers managed to repulse the attackers. We are investigating and launched a manhunt for the gunmen," he added.

He said the injured police officer has been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Serian said police officers engaged the gunmen in shootout.

However, the fate of the police officer remains unclear due to poor network service and terrains in the area situated with the vast Boni forest which the militants have been using as their hideout.

Serian said security officers including Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) have been dispatched to the scene to pursue the attackers believed to be Al-Shabaab members.

Sporadic gunfire was reported in the area where police suspect the militants were firing to scare off security agents and residents as they fled into the forest.

Buses with security on board that were traveling either to Lamu or Mombasa have been diverted as a security precaution. Sources indicate the attackers are Al-Shabaab members who had planned major terrorist attacks within Lamu.

The attack came just a day after Kenyan authorities indefinitely extended a security operation to flush out Somali militants from the forest. Endit