Three police officers injured in landmine explosion in Garissa County

At least three police officers were seriously injured Monday evening after a landmine went off under the vehicle they were travelling in.

 The officers  were heading to Yumbis, a tiny border village which was raided by the Islamist Somali-based group last Friday on a mission to beef up security in area which falls under Fafi sub-county, Garissa County.

 A senior administrator, who requested not to be named, confirmed the incident which happened around 4 p.m. to the Standard on phone.

 Jarajila Member of the Garissa County Assembly Mahat Osman also confirmed of the incident.

 “The officers were heading to Yumbis location when their vehicle overrun a landmine which was buried under sandy soil at Yarey area in Yumbis locality in Fafi Sub-county before exploding and seriously injuring the officers,” he said.

 The area MCA said the impact of the explosion has extensively damaged the police vehicle adding that the injured officers have been has rushed from the scene of the incident to Garissa Referral Hospital for treatment.

 Gunmen suspected to be members al Shabaab last week stormed the sleepy village that lies kilometres from the lawless Somalia and forced residents to endure long lectures advocating for extremism.

 Fafi sub-county Commissioner Geoffrey Taragon who also confirmed the incident told the Standard that the injured officers were out of danger.