Kenya pursues 50 Al-Shabaab militants after police camp attack

Kenyan police said they have launched a manhunt for some 50 Al-Shabaab militants who raided a police camp along the Somali border early Thursday.

Inspector General Joseph Boinnet said two police officers are missing after a suspected Al-Shabaab attack at the Hamey patrol base in Garissa County.

"Over 50 terrorists attacked the police patrol base in two land cruisers but the officers in the camp managed to repulse them amid fierce exchange of fire," Boinett said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He said the retreated militants later returned in bigger numbers onboard a lorry and fired three bombs into the camp, destroying some tents and forcing police officers to withdraw for cover.

"Following subsequent reinforcement, all officers have been accounted for except two. One has been airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment after suffering gunshots," Boinett said.

The authority did not say whether the insurgents kidnapped the two missing police officers but said three injured officers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

"It is confirmed that the attackers suffered one death and several others seriously injured as they fled. Further operations are underway to pursue them and reinforce all camps along the border," he said.

Police sources said the attackers stole machine guns, about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, police uniforms and a police pickup truck.

Kenyan security personnel patrolling the Somalia border have been hit by a series of attacks since Kenya sent its troops to fight Al-Shabaab within Somalia.

The insurgents have launched several attacks in Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa and Dadaab districts of northern Kenya even as the military reports gains against the terror group by capturing its military bases and killing scores of its members. Enditem