Mandera: Five people have been killed and two others injured on Tuesday morning in a new wave of suspected Al-Shabaab militants' attacks on quarries in Mandera with Burabor location now bearing the brunt. Mandera County Commissioner Henry Ochako confirmed the incident, stating that the victims had left Mandera town before the prescribed time contrary to the agreement in place between the quarry operators, workers, and the government.
According to Kenya News Agency, the group was ambushed at around 6:30 a.m., resulting in the immediate deaths of five individuals. Two others sustained injuries, while some managed to flee the scene. 'The group departed earlier than usual and without the agreed security escort. We are now engaging the driver and quarry owner to understand why they left before time, which unfortunately exposed them to the attack,' said Ochako.
Authorities report that the quarry workers have a routine of reporting to the site during the day and returning to Mandera town by nightfall for their safety. Deviating from this arrangement may have contributed to the incident. Families and friends of the deceased persons gathered at Mandera County Referral Hospital to identify the victims' bodies.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif expressed his condolences and assured residents that justice would be pursued. He also announced that the bodies of the victims would be airlifted to their respective home counties for burial. 'This is a tragic loss. We are working with national security agencies to ensure justice prevails and that such incidents are prevented from happening in the future,' said Governor Khalif.
Security agencies have launched investigations and stepped-up patrols in the area following the attack.