Police kill 2 KDF soldiers

February 15, 2018 11:21 AM

The KDF soldiers mistook the police for bandits and opened fire.

Two Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers have been killed during a shootout between them and police officers at Sheikh Barrow in Mandera County.

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According to the officer in charge of the Rural Border Patrol Unit in Kitui County, Mr Nguyo Wambua, the two soldiers were killed by officers attached to the unit in what the local administration described as “friendly fire.”

Fatally shot

According to Senior Superintendent Wambua, his officers fatally shot the two soldiers and injured several others while returning fire after coming under attack from the KDF men who mistook them for armed bandits.

“We cannot understand how the KDF officers mistook our team for armed bandits because they were in a known camp complete with government vehicles which could be identified,” he told the Nation.

Mistaken Identity

KDF could not be immediately reached for comment regarding the incident, but Lafey Deputy County Commissioner Charles Mbulishe confirmed that the shootout took place.

“The incident happened at Sheikh Barrow. I believe it was a case of mistaken identity,” he said by phone.