KDF: We have killed five gunmen who raided Mpeketoni

Lamu, Kenya: Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) says it killed five of the gunmen who raided Mpeketoni in Lamu, shot dead more than 60 people and burnt down property.

KDF soldiers said they shot dead the five in Bodei area in Garsen, Tana River near the Kenya-Somalia border on Wednesday night and recovered three AK47 rifles from them.

“Police will brief you later but we caught up with five of the attackers and killed them while the rest, who were the majority, managed to escape,” said a senior military officer aware of the operations but asked not to be named.

The official said KDF personnel were on normal patrols in the area when they clashed with the gunmen.

The incident is said to have happened at about 10pm. Military personnel operate in Lamu and Ras Kamboni in Somalia.

Unknown assailants had on Wednesday night attacked a convoy of security officers at Mukowe in Lamu, 60 km from the scene of the Mpeketoni attack, but no injuries was reported.

Gunmen pounced on Mpeketoni and Kibaoni areas of Lamu County and killed more than 60 people in a harrowing incident that lasted hours on Sunday and Monday. They also torched banks, business premises and displaced almost 600 households.

There are many theories being fronted as the cause of the Mpeketoni incident including terrorism by Kenyan terror cells, land and tribal fallout.

Officials believe land was the main cause of the attack and the attackers could have been hired.

Senior security officers have been suspended over the attack.