Fresh terror attack in Lamu, 4 police officers dead

Four police officers were killed on Friday, January 7 when suspected Al Shabaab militants targeted a Kenyan Police vehicle with a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) at Milhoi area in Lamu County.

The RPG destroyed the vehicle instantly killing the security officers on escort duties. An unknown number of police officers were injured in the attack that happened between Mkunumbi and Hindi.

Some of the injured officers managed to fight back and reports indicate a number of the attackers were injured.

The attack comes only a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiangi imposed a 30-day night curfew in most parts of Lamu West to facilitate security teams to mop-up illegal firearms.

The curfew will affect four divisions in Lamu where conflicts over ownership of private ranches is rife.

The attack happens only a day after a curfew was imposed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i Pulse Live Kenya

At least seven people have been killed by suspected Al Shabaab militants in Lamu in the last one week and several houses torched.

Last Sunday, six people were killed by unknown militants at Witho shopping centre in Lamu East.

In Hindi, one person was also killed at Bobo-Sunkia village. Lamu County Commissioner Samson Macharia said John Gichoya, 62, had his hands tied to his back before his throat was slit.

Macharia said Gichoya killing was linked to a land conflict. In 2015, the National Land Commission (NLC) promised to allocate 10,000 acres of the ranch to squatters.

The latest attacks are startling because although there have been sporadic attacks in the county, security agents have largely decimated the militants in Lamu.

This is the reasoning behind government officials suspecting that the recent attacks have had nothing to do with Al Shabaab and everything to do with a land disputes in the area.