Shabaab kill three in bus attack

The bus that was attacked in Nyongoro, Witu, in Lamu County on August 2, 2017. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• The boda boda operator and his two passengers were killed when gunmen opened fire on the bus heading to Kipini from Malindi and a security escort vehicle.
• The terrorists shot randomly from the forest, killing the victims, who were near the bus, before police officers escorting the vehicle came to the passengers’ rescue.

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By NATION TEAM
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Three people were on Wednesday killed in an Al-Shabaab attack on a bus at Nyongoro in Witu, Lamu County.

The boda boda operator and his two passengers were killed when gunmen opened fire on the bus heading to Kipini from Malindi and a security escort vehicle.

The attack on the bus belonging to Kipini Raha Company on the Garsen-Lamu highway occurred at around 3.30pm, said witnesses.

The terrorists shot randomly from the forest, killing the victims, who were near the bus, before police officers escorting the vehicle came to the passengers’ rescue.

READ: Marwa: Lamu travellers must use police escort

Sources told the Nation that an unknown number of passengers were injured and were taken to Witu Sub-County Hospital, among them a woman and a child.

ESCORT VEHICLE

“The child was in the police escort vehicle and was shot in the leg,” said the source. “The woman was a passenger in the bus.

“The woman, who is of Somali origin, was seriously injured.”

Some of the the passengers who were travelling in the bus before it was attacked at Nyongoro area in Witu on August 2, 2017. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The vehicles did not stop during the attack, added the source.

Newly appointed Operation Linda Boni director Joseph Kanyiri confirmed the attack but said he was ...

yet to get details.

The attack occurred as the attention of security officers was directed at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit for campaigns for Tuesday’s General Election.

READ: Police on high alert as Shabaab plans attacks

It comes three days after credible intelligence reports that Al-Shabaab plan attacks in seven counties.

Security sources said the group was plotting attacks in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.

CAUSING FEAR

Multiple sources within Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed the claim.

The plot is said to involve members of the Al-Shabaab intelligence unit, Amniyat, on a mission to carry out the attacks, with the objective of causing fear among Kenyans to stop them from voting.

They recently released two propaganda videos on the polls.

Two weeks ago, Al-Shabaab carjacked and injured Public Works Principal Secretary Mariam El-Maawy at Milihoi in Lamu but she was rescued by the military.

However, at a rally at Tononoka, Mombasa, President Kenyatta assured Kenyans that the government would provide adequate security during the elections.

Reported by Lucas Barasa, Kalume Kazungu, Kevin Odit and Ahmed Mohamed.