By Cyrus Ombati
Four people were injured in two separate grenade attacks on two restaurants in Garissa town in the latest attacks by Al Shabaab militants’ sympathisers.
The four were injured by pellets from one of the grenades that exploded outside a restaurant popularly known as Florida Hotel, which is about four kilometres from the town.
Police said the injured were in a stable condition following the explosions that happened at about 8pm on Thursday.
The grenades were intended to explode inside the two social joints but exploded at the entrances, witnesses said.
The first incident happened at Florida Hotel that was full with about 70 people then when the grenade hit a wall and bounced back before exploding few meters from the entrance. This is where four people were reportedly injured, according to police.
The second incident happened at the local medium prisons officers’ mess when a lobed grenade exploded near the entrance after it hit the wall.
"It seems the people behind the incident are armatures but their aim is to kill or injure many people. We are on alert but no arrest has been made so far," said a senior officer in the area.
A hunt on the criminals behind the incidents is ongoing, said North Eastern PPO Leo Nyongesa.
There has been a string of attacks by sympathisers of the terror group since Kenya sent troops to Somalia in October to hunt down the militants who were behind a series of insecurity incidents.
Most of the targeted attacks are security agencies in the country. In November, six people were killed in Mandera and Garissa towns in similar attacks. Among the deceased was a soldier whose lorry was hit by similar landmines and shooting.
Five other people were hit by grenades in Garissa town in two simultaneous attacks that have since been blamed on remnants of al-Shabaab militants.
On Jamhuri Day, two people were critically injured when an explosion hit a car belonging to the National Intelligence Service in Wajir town.
The vehicle was part of a convoy leaving Wajir Stadium, the venue of Kenya’s Jamhuru Day's celebrations when it was hit by what officials termed as an improvised explosive device.
Among the injured was the local district security intelligence boss and a woman leader in the vehicle. Three other officers on board the vehicle escaped unhurt.
The remnants operating in Kenya and in particular refugee camps in Dadaab have been using improvised explosive devices to launch attacks in protest against the military action.
Gunmen have also targeted police stations in the area in some incidents injuring officers and dismantling communication gadgets.
More anti-terror police officers have been dispatched to the major towns in North Eastern to help in investigating the sympathisers behind the series of attacks in the area.
And to beat the trend all police officers who are on leave have had the leaves cancelled to help in beefing up security.
The move by both commissioner of police Mathew Iteere and AP commandant Kinuthia Mbugua is aimed at reinforcing the current officers in operation various parts of the country.
Police commanders revealed there are fears of increased insecurity ahead of the festive season and sited the continued attacks by Al Shabaab militants in parts of North Eastern province.
