KWALE, KENYA: A traffic police officer was Monday morning shot and wounded in the head before he was robbed of his AK-47 rifle by gunmen on a motorbike in Kombani, Kwale County. Another female officer was slightly injured after she was wrestled by the gunmen who escaped after the incident along the Lunga Lunga highway.Police suspect the attackers were followers of Somalia's Al-Shabaab gang. Area police boss Richard Muguai said police have launched investigation and a hunt to recover the loaded firearm and arrest the gang behind the incident.
"The officer has been moved to Coast General Hospital as we hunt down the criminals who we believe as members of the terror gang," said Muguai
He added the gang was targeting the weapon. The attack came a week after police recovered a similar weapon from the Musa Mosque in a raid to break up a controversial meeting. Police said they believe the attack and robbery was staged to replace the recovered weapon.
Traffic police officers in coastal region are being armed over recent incidents of terror related incidents in the coastal region.
The area where the attack happened is very volatile especially with gunmen on motorbikes. This is the third attack on policemen this year.