Six injured in twin grenade attacks in Dadaab, Wajir
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A hand grenade. Assailants hurled a hand grenade into a construction site in private primary school benefiting refugees children. Photo/FILE
At least six people were injured in two simultaneous grenade attacks suspected to have been carried out by Somali Al-Shabaab in two border districts in Kenya's northern region bordering the war-ravaged Somalia. Read (Six injured in hotel explosion in Dadaab)
The attacks in Ifo 1 in Dadaab refugee complex in Garissa County and a hotel in Wajir town occurred less than ten minutes of each at 1730 GMT and 1740 GMT local time.
In the Ifo attack assailants numbering five hurled a hand grenade into a construction site in private primary school benefiting refugees children targeting non-Somali masonries, who were at the time resting in one of the classes under constructions.
The twin attacks, which have similar hallmarks, with previous attacks in the region claimed by the group, has shocked residents and troubled Kenya security machineries that is claiming victory against Al-Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia after the fall of the Afgooye to allied soldiers two days ago, a town believed to be the last foothold of the resistant group.
Regional police commander Leo Nyongesa confirmed that suspected members of the militant group hurled two grenades at Horseed Primary School in Ifo, one of the three refugee camps in northern Kenya, injuring five labourers who were at the time preparing supper in one of the classes under constructions.
"Assailants of unknown number have thrown two hand grenades into the primary school run by African Development Emergency Organization (ADEO) funded by UNHCR, injuring five masonries who were involved in the construction work," he told Xinhua by phone.
Nyongesa said the five casualties were rushed to Ifo main hospital for treatment, noting that two of the five sustained heavy injuries while the three others escaped with minor injuries.
The school Principal Farah Gabay told Xinhua that the injured persons were all non-Somali construction workers from other parts of the country working with a local construction company called Modogashe Constructions Limited.
He said the impact of the blast destroyed one of the eight classes under construction.
According to an eye witness, two people threw the hand grenade to the five who were busy finishing the day's work on Saturday night.
"We only saw two people running as they headed towards the nearby houses, this was immediately after the blast, on reaching there we saw the five wailing in pain as they bled profusely and a few meters from where they were lay the grenade," a refugee at the Ifo camp who did not want to be named told Xinhua.
In the Wajir attack, suspect Al-Shabaab assailant hurled a hand grenade into a popular Dubai Lodge in the main street of the town and injured seriously a man who was a reveller at the hotel.
Eye witnesses said those behind the attack threw the grenade cowardly, hence, missing their targets, which was a big crowd that was watching the 7pm news bulletin.
"They were aiming at a big crowd that was busy watching the 7pm live bulletin, we only heard a commotion of people running outside immediately after the incident," said one of the lucky survivors who was in the hotel.
Nyongesa who confirmed the two incidents said that investigations have been launched and promised to get to the bottom of the two incidents.
Nyongesa said four people believed to be behind the soaring incidents of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and hand grenades attacks in the region and mainly in the refugee complex, were arrested by the police on Saturday.
He said the suspects are helping the security personnel in unravel the mastermind and break into the Al-Shabaab operative cells.