Unknown armed men hurl explosives at Mandera county government offices

Mandera, Kenya: Unknown armed men on Monday morning shelled the offices of the Mandera county government causing an extensive damage on one side of the magnificent building.

Confirming the incident Mandera county commissioner Alex Olenkoyo said the armed gang lobbed mortar propel grenades at the county offices, which also host the Governor's office at about 2am on Monday before they were repulsed by security officers manning the building.

This is the third time the county offices were targeted in similar attacks. Last year the county revenue offices in the centre of the town were burnt down following an attack by unknown armed men. Few months later the resident of the deputy governor was attacked but nobody was injured.

Three weeks ago, Governor Ali Roba’s personal vehicle was attacked in Dertu in Garissa County by yet to be established bandits, who later raided a passengers’ bus heading to Garissa from Wajir killing one person and injuring three others.

During the attack, the governor was not in the vehicle which was heading to Mandera from Nairobi at the time.

“Unknown armed men fired several explosives which we suspect to be a mortar propel grenade at the county government offices on Monday. Nobody was hurt in the incident since it was early in the day and none of the workers had reported to work” he said.

He added”The attackers took cover behind TB Manyatta, a wing in Mandera county referral hospital before hurling the explosives strategically to the county offices. Some part of the building which accommodates executive officers has been damaged, but the extent of the damage is yet to be established.”

Olenkoyo said the assailants who were seemingly in a big number were repulsed by security officers who were guarding the building and they disappeared into a neighbouring village.

“Our security officers have now cordoned off the village in a bid to flush out the criminals. We have also beefed up security patrols along our common border with Somalia to ensure that the assailants do not find any chance to escape from our security hunt” he noted.