...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...hard boyz on Saturday killed two coppers in Mandera, in an ambush that comes after several months in the country, which had been enjoying relative peace and stability.
Authorities in Kenya said the hard boyz ambushed coppers who were riding on a lorry while taking patrols in the region around Rhamu area of Mandera county. The incident happened around 9 am local time.
Several eyewitnesses told the Star that the lorry was on administrative duties as it was also carrying food for officers on the ground when the incident happened. The victims were shot at and sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
According to locals, the hard boyz had been sighted days earlier and were allegedly planting explosives. The al-Shabaab hard boyz first tried to use a rocket-propelled grenade on the lorry but missed prompting them to use rifles.
"They sprayed the lorry as it paced past where they had staged the ambush," an officer said.
A police officer who survived the attack said their driver drove past the scene at high speed amid heavy gunfire.
"Unfortunately we lost two officers and others were maimed. It could have been worse," said the officer.
North Eastern regional police commander Rono Bunei confirmed the incident and said a reinforcement had been sent to the ground to pursue the attackers. The lorry’s tires were deflated but the driver managed to control it for almost 20 kilometers and called for medical help on those injured.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the area in the past months. This has grounded many operations in the expansive county, which has left at least 30 people dead.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the hard boyz who are at times aided by locals. The area is near the Somalia border and the hard boyz usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
The holy warriors have been attacking places in the region especially in Mandera and Garissa after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead or maimed.