Kenya: At least four killed in grenade attack against vehicle

Kenya: At least four killed in grenade attack against vehicle

2011-10-28 05:39:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANDERA, KENYA (BNO NEWS) -- A grenade was launched on Thursday against a vehicle carrying Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) materials, killing at least four people, officials said.

The attack occurred on early Thursday morning against a land cruiser carrying eight people, all of them government officials, in the El Wak area of Mandera, which is a town located in the North Eastern Province near the border with Somalia.

Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe told Capital FM that the attack was carried out with a rocket-propelled grenade and that those on board were district examination officials and police officers. He did not give further details about the incident.

On Monday, a grenade was thrown at the Mwuara Pub located off Mfangano street in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Fourteen people were injured as a result of the attack, which authorities believe was linked to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab.

The attack came just after the U.S. Embassy had warned of an "imminent threat" of a terrorist attack, possibly targeting foreigners. It also came just a week after Kenyan security forces crossed into Somalia in search of al-Shabaab fighters.

Al-Shabaab is the militant wing of the Somali Council of Islamic Courts which took over most of southern Somalia in the second half of 2006. Despite efforts from the Somali and Ethiopian governments, the group has continued its violent insurgency in southern and central Somalia.

Somalia has been without an effective government since Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown two decades ago.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-28