Kenya Police escape death after landmine fails to explode

By Ali Abdi and Cyrus Ombati

Police and aid workers narrowly escaped death when a truck they were traveling in ran over a landmine that did not explode.

The device had been planted near Hagadera Police Station, about a kilometre from the Dadaab refugee camp in Garissa along a busy road used by aid trucks to ferry supplies.

Police were escorting a Kenya Red Cross truck on a routine trip to ferry humanitarian assistance when the incident occurred on Saturday at 10am.

The region is a main front in the operation by the military on the offensive against Somalia’s Al Shabaab.

According to witnesses, the driver of the truck realised he had run over an ordinance when he saw smoke moments after he had driven out of the post.

North Eastern PC James ole Serian said they suspect the device was targeting the officers. However, no injury or destruction was reported.

"Luckily there was no explosion and the officers are okay. It was a device that did not explode after the vehicle ran over it,’’ he said on the phone. The Provincial Police Officer Leo Nyongesa also said the landmine did not explode but added that investigation had been launched to determine the type of explosive.

Immobilise device

"The device was planted at Daadab but luckily it did not explode, a team of bomb experts and detectives are on the ground to conduct investigation", said Mr Nyongesa.

There was panic as police cordoned off the area to wait for experts to immobilise the device.

Police now believe criminals who planned the attack are in the country.

"It seems they are now targeting Kenyans and in particular government officials or people seen to give support to the Somalia government. There will be a major swoop soon on these remnants hiding among peace loving Kenyans,’’ said a senior officer.

The device had not been destroyed by 4pm and the area remained a no go zone. No arrest had been made.

The incident comes after two attacks in Mandera and Garissa where GSU personnel were wounded and government officials were killed.

And a guesthouse was attacked last Wednesday in Elwak area.

Police suspect the owner of the facility was the target owing to his links with Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government.

The militants struck E-Guest House before proceeding to the residence of a prominent Somali, seven kilometres from the Kenya-Somalia border.

Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any criminal elements.