Sh14 million bounty placed on seven terror suspects

Police have offered a Sh14 million bounty on the heads of seven wanted terror suspects who have been linked to attacks in North Eastern region.

Each of the seven suspects has a Sh2 million bounty and the public has been asked to provide information on their whereabouts.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said the seven are Al-Shabaab terrorists who have been involved in a number of terror attacks in North Eastern region, particularly Mandera County.

“The individuals were instrumental in the planning and execution of attacks on non-Somalis at Bisharo Lodge in October 2016, Jabane Hotel in January 2017 and Arabia Police post in February 2017,” said Boinnet.

He added the individuals operate between Kenya and Somalia and have received training from Al-Shabaab on explosives and handling of weapons. He said they are armed and dangerous.

Those named include Abdikadir Haret Mohamed, Abdullahi Issack Diyat aka Ubeyd, Idriss Ismael Issack, Mohamed Yussuf Kuno aka Abu Ali, Ahmed Maalim Bashir, Sharif Sheikh Arab and Ahmed Mahat Mohamed aka Jerry.

Boinnet said whereas the threat of terror remains high, all the national security agencies have taken the necessary preventive and other precautionary measures against such threats.

Incidents of terror attacks have been fluctuating in parts of North Eastern. The latest incident happened on February 2 in Arabia, Mandera where one Kenyan died, communication mast destroyed and police vehicle and guns stolen in an attack on a local AP camp.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in terror related attacks in the country in the last ten years. Kenya Defence Forces troops have also been targeted in attacks inside Somalia.

KDF went to Somalia in October 2011. Kenya's incursion into southern Somalia started after the kidnapping of two Spanish women, who were working for MSF at the Dadaab refugee camp.

The abductions were carried out by the militants who the troops planned to push away under the Operation Linda Nchi.

Two years later, the troops managed to take control of Kismayo port under Operation Sledge Hammer.

Initially a team of about 2,000 troops had been engaged in the operation but the number doubled when Kenya joined UN's AMISOM. The Kenyan military says there is no set exit date for the operation, but the indicator of the mission's success would be a crippling of Al-Shabaab's capacity.

There is intense pressure for the troops to withdraw from Somalia.