Three people killed after vehicle hit explosives along Dadaab –Kulan road in Garissa

Wreck of a vehicle seen in the remote parts between Kulan and Liboi in Garrisa county on 16th May,2017. Four people who were traveling in the vehicle died when the vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device.

At least three people were Tuesday killed after car they were traveling in hit a land mine along Dadaab- Kulan road in Garissa County.

North Eastern regional commissioner Mohamud Saleh who confirmed the incident said it took place at 3pm.

"All I can say for now is that a vehicle belonging to ADESO (an NGO based in Doble) and which was traveling from Dadaab to Doble was hit by an improvised explosive device. We have three people who died in the blast," he said.

Another person escaped with serious injuries.

Earlier on Monday, a team of security officers escaped unhurt as they hunted down a group of Al-Shabaab militants who had planted land mines in Gerille area, Wajir County.

In the Wajir incident, one of the officers' vehicles was badly damaged when the improvised explosive device hit it.  No officer was however injured, said Saleh.

He said Kenya Defence Forces soldiers and their Kenya Police counterparts were carrying out a joint operation after suspected Al-Shabaab militants were spotted there when the incident happened on Monday.

"The vehicle that was leading the convoy, a land cruiser, ran over an improvised explosive devise and damaged it. No injuries were reported," he said.

The terrorists escaped and an operation is ongoing there.

Inspector-General of police Joseph Boinnet said they are working hard to contain the situation.

“Though many terror plots have been thwarted, there have been unfortunate incidents in the country in which Al-Shabaab elements sneaked in and attacked innocent Kenyans. Security agents remain vigilant and are on hunt for the terrorists who attempt to sneak into our country,” he said.

He added; "There is a risk of local operatives of attempting to stage copycat attacks we are seeing in other parts of the world. In this respect we have heightened vigilance on our part, and appeal to the public to be watchful for any suspicious activity.”

Another official working at the National Counter Terrorism Centre said a number of issues are now contributing to the attacks and warned of fears of more such incident.

"The reality which many refuse to face is that there is no intelligence solution is to the jihadist problem which now exists in the region which possess large populations of angry people, a certain percentage of whom are truly radical," said the official.

He added Kenya's intelligence and policing operation devoted to counterterrorism is efficient and skilled, yet utterly dwarfed by the scope of the threat.