Explosion at Mandera eatery injures five people

At least five people injured in an explosion in Mandera. [Standard, File]

Five people are nursing serious injuries following an explosion that occurred at an eatery in Mandera town early on Wednesday afternoon.

While confirming the incident, Mandera County Police Commander Samuel Mutunga said the attacker had placed a paper bag containing an improvised explosive device (IED) outside the hotel before it exploded at 12.10 pm, on July 24.

"A suspicious package containing the IED was noticed by the workers at the eatery shortly before it went off, injuring five individuals, including some passers-by," said Mutunga.

The hotel, named Heritage and located near the county commissioner's office, served as a base for non-local communities and police officers for breakfast and lunch.

Sources said the target was the security personnel who had been permanent customers of the hotel over the years.

The injured were promptly rushed to Mandera Referral Hospital and are receiving treatment at the moment.

The county police boss has assured residents of their safety and pledged to continue the investigation until the perpetrators are brought to justice.

"We are committed to ensuring the safety of our community and will not rest until those responsible are held accountable," he said.

Mandera County has experienced several attacks this year, raising concerns about threat surveillance and response capabilities.

On July 11, four police officers from the Special Operations Group (SOG) were killed in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack at the border of Banisa and Mandera West sub-counties in Mandera County.

On April 5, six people were killed and five injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the police station in Elwak town, Mandera County.

A similar incident occurred on March 25 in a hotel near a police station in Mandera town, killing four people on the spot.