Eight security officers killed in Garissa landmine attack
A police vehicle that was hit by a landmine in Bodhei, Garissa County, on June 13, 2023. Eight security officers died in the incident.
At least eight security officers have died after a vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a landmine. The eight were on a security patrol in Bodhei, Garissa County on Tuesday.
North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno confirmed the incident.
"We had an incident but I am yet to get a proper report on it," Mr Otieno said.
The eight Special Branch officers were patrolling along the Garissa-Lamu border when the incident occurred at midday.
According to a security briefing seen by Nation.Africa, the officers died after the vehicle they were travelling in ran over a landmine, killing them on the spot.
"The bodies have been recovered, but their identities have not yet been established. The vehicle was extensively damaged," the report said.
Military personnel responded immediately to the incident, but no progress report had been made by the time of going to press.
In neighbouring Lamu County, another group of security officers were attacked but escaped unhurt.
The attack was reported near Mararani, where suspected members of the Al Shabaab group attacked security officers with a rocket-propelled grenade.
Earlier in the day, a bus travelling from Nairobi to Mandera was sprayed with bullets in Tarbaji area of Wajir County.
The driver saved the day by driving through despite having a punctured tyre.
The attacks came just a day after Mr Otieno called on local communities to join the government in the fight against terrorism.
The region has seen an increase in militant presence due to the ongoing offensive in Somalia.
Reports from northern Kenya indicate that Al-Shabaab militants have recently increased their presence in the region.
