The Kenyan police said on Friday that they have launched a major manhunt for Al-Shabaab group leader that attacked two police camps in Mandera county in northeast region.
Police spokesman Charles Owino said Jamaa Nuh Abdille, who fled to Somalia with others after the Friday dawn attack in Fino, was behind the killing of five police officers.
“We have since identified the leader of the group that carried out the attack as Jamaa Nuh Abdille who fled with others after the attack to Somalia and we are hot on their trail,” Owino said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
He said more than 100 suspected al-Shabab terrorists attacked Fino police station and Administration Police camp in Mandera County, resulting in a fierce exchange of fire between the terrorists and the police officers.
“In the firefight, unknown number of terrorists are believed to have killed while others sustained seriously injuries. Four of our gallant officers and one National Police Reservist sadly lost their lives,” said Owino.
The police spokesman said attackers had earlier planted improvised explosive devices along the road leading to the camps which slowed down movement of police officers from nearby camps to rescue officers under the attack in Fino.
“We call upon all Kenyans to be vigilant and report any movement by suspicious persons along the Kenya/Somalia border to the police of any security agency or through the toll free national police service emergency numbers 999 and 112 for immediate action,” Owino said.
