MANDERA, Kenya, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police on Friday launched a manhunt for Al-Shabaab suspects behind the killing of four people in Mandera County in a bomb attack that also injured 11 others.
The four people died after a passenger service vehicle they were travelling in ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) at Sheikh Barrow area on the Lafey-Elwak road which is near the Somalia border.
The IED is suspected to have been planted by suspected Al-Shabab militants from Somalia.
Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the security officers have been sent to the scene to crack down on the insurgents who have been planting explosive devices on the main routes in northeast region.
He said the government will increase national police reservists (NPR) to man the region and said over 150 officers will be deployed to the region.
Shisia termed the scene of the attack as a terror hotspot area where several attacks have happened on civilian and security vehicles.
"This is near where area governor's (Ali Roba) security vehicle was attacked early last month, where five police officers died after their vehicle ran over an IED," Shisia said.
The IED was planted on the dry weather road targeting vehicles plying the terror hotspot area within Lafey area barely five kilometers from the Kenya border with war torn Somalia.
The government administrator said 15 people were on board in the PSV Land cruiser from Elwak town headed to Mandera town on Friday.
Shisia said one of his local government administrator (chief) succumbed to the shrapnel from the IED while another who was among the passengers sustained serious injuries on both of his legs.
"It is unfortunate these attacks are happening during the month of Ramadan, these criminals pretend to be holy but we have all seen the hypocrisy in them," Shisia said.
Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the injured had multiple injuries, adding that the vehicle was badly damaged.
"The four wheel drive vehicle was using a condemned road when it ran over an IED killing four passengers on board and injured 11 others. We had discouraged vehicles from using the route because it close to the border and dangerous. No arrest has been made so far," said Saleh.
It is the latest incident in a series that has claimed more than 30 people in a month. In May alone, 30 people including 20 police officers were killed in separate such attacks.
The government closed the road to PSV buses and khat vans after 28 people were killed in bus plying to Nairobi in November 2011. Enditem
