Thursday, July 28, 2016
Communication mast. Suspected al Shabaab members destroyed such installations in Fino Town, Mandera county during a Thursday dawn raid. \FILE
Suspected al Shabaab militants engaged police in a shootout at Fino Town, Mandera county on Thursday.
The gunmen destroyed a telephone mast during the raid which was executed at dawn.
Authorities said the criminals escaped after the incident; no one was injured.
Police said the shootout was a diversion by the suspected terrorists to allow another group plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the targeted mast.
This is the second time such an incident, targeting communication masts, has been reported in the area.
Last month, another mast was destroyed in Damasa area by the same group.
"They do so to cut communication between the locals and security agents. The destruction is in preparation for an attack," police said.