Eleven General Service Unit (GSU) officers died on Saturday after a police vehicle they were travelling in ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Garissa County.
In a statement on Saturday evening, Inspector of Police Hillary Mutyambai confirmed that the officers, from Harehare GSU camp, were on patrol along Damajale Harehare road near the Kenya Somali border when the vehicle ran over the IED at around 5.30pm.
Police suspect that the device was planted by Al Shabaab militants.
The IG added that reinforcement composed of officers from Kenya Defence Forces, Administration Police, Rapid Response Police Unit and Kenya Police Service had been dispatched to the area to pursue the attackers.
Read: IED Attack In Liboi, Garissa County Kills Two Police Officers
“Reinforcement has been sent to the area to pursue the attackers and investigations launched, ” said Mutyambai.
Press release on IED attack on NPS officers. pic.twitter.com/iOgsBTGaEt
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) October 12, 2019
The attack comes months after another IED attack in Wajir left at least seven Administration Police (AP) officers dead.
The Saturday, June 15, incident happened about four kilometres from Konton centre along the Kenya-Somalia border.
The officers were ambushed while pursuing attackers who raided a village in Konton area, and kidnapped three Police Reservists.
Read Also: Three Police Officers Killed In Garissa Attack
“The officers were on a routine patrol when the unfortunate incident happened, two officers survived the attack and are being treated at Wajir County Referral Hospital while two others are still missing,” said Wajir County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara who confirmed the June incident said.
One of the missing officers was found the following morning, to hospital for medication.
In May, another IED attack in Garissa County killed two police officers and left four others injured.
The officers were on patrol along the Malelei-Kulan Road in Liboi, Garissa County.
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