Ambulance driver killed, occupants wounded in Garissa explosion

Police officers inspect a vehicle that was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Mandera in October 2014. There has been a lull of such attacks in the past months in what officials say was sustained operations against militants.(Photo: File/Standard)

Garissa, Kenya: An ambulance driver was killed and three occupants injured when their vehicle was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device en-route to pick a patient in Hulugho, Garissa County.

The driver, Abbey Dubow Mohamed, was in the company of two medical staff and a student when the ambulance ran over an IED between Hulugho and Sangailu.

Police said they were headed for Hulugho Sub County Hospital to pick up a patient when the incident happened Monday evening.

It is believed that the explosive was set up by Al Shabaab terrorists.

No arrest was made but police said they were pursuing the attackers believed to have crossed over from neighbouring Somalia or operating terror cells within the area.

Garissa County Communications boss Yusuf Korow said those wounded include the co-driver, a nutritionist and a student and were admitted to the Hulugho Sub-County Hospital.

Police said they had intensified operations in the area to get those behind the attack.

“The area has been relatively calm but these terrorists seem to be sneaking in slowly and in small groups. We are making strides in taming them,” said North Eastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh.

Witnesses said the explosion was so powerful that it tore the leg of one of the survivors.

Police attacked

The attack in Hulugho occurred hours after five police officers were killed and four others wounded in a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack in Mandera.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet has assured that security has been intensified in the northern part of the country in the wake of renewed terror attacks.

The new attacks are believed to be out of reaction to the killing of Al-Shabaab leader Mohamed Gamadhere Kuno in Somalia.

There are fears of more attacks in Nairobi and Coastal region during the Ramadhan period.

Security agencies have upped their efforts to address the fears, calling on the public to be alert and report any suspicious objects and persons.

There has been a lull of such attacks in the past months in what officials say was sustained operations against the militants.