Police hunt suspects in failed convoy bomb attack in Northern Kenya

A joint military and the Police patrol unit is on the lookout for suspects believed to have escaped a botched terrorist operation in El Wak, Northern Kenya, Police said on Sunday.

A suspected militant was killed and several accomplices escaped with injuries after unsuccessfully attempting to plant an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the main road to Dabacity in El Wak.

Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said one of the suspected militants was killed when the IED exploded as a joint Police and the military patrol convoy approached the location.

"The assailants were planting the device along the road leading to Garesesala water point, frequented by the security officers patrolling the Kenya-Somalia border," Shisia told Xinhua.

The Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the mutilated body of the Shabaab suspect was taken to Elwak sub-county hospital mortuary for identification and investigations.

An AK47 assault rifle carried by the dead insurgent was dismantled during the explosion.

Police arrested five other suspects during the operation, Saleh said, adding that the five were among those caught planting the explosives on the road. Police believe there could have been others watching from their hiding during the incident.

"Apart from the one who was killed, we highly suspect four of his accomplices, were also injured in the explosion since officers on pursuit of the criminals reported of seeing trail of blood," Saleh said.

The Somali-based militants, claiming affiliation to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIL) were also blamed for an attempt to attack a Mandera-bound bus in the same area. Two people were killed and five others were injured during the attack.

"On seeing the officers, the militants panicked and in the process, the IED they were planting went off, killing one of them. The others managed to escape on foot. They fired at the Police and the military officers as they fled from the scene," a police source told Xinhua.

Shisia said pastoralists, moving to Elwak town saw, the suspected Shabaab insurgents in jungle uniform and burying objects on portions of the road.

According to the official, a joint security patrol team in the area was informed about the gunmen digging the trenches.

"The patrol team led by the Police Officer Commanding the Police Division (OCPD) and the Military Officer Commanding (OC) Elwak military base sped towards the area. The militants were caught unawares. In panic, they attempted to detonate the IED on the oncoming security vehicles," Shisia said. Endit