Tuesday, January 03, 2012
The device exploded near Mandera District Cereals and Produce Board depot two minutes after the vehicle carrying the officials passed the area.
Mandera East DC Benson Leparmorijo said the attackers targeted the vehicle for unknown motives, but they missed it after the device failed to explode as planned.
He said no body was arrested in connection with the incident. Hundreds of curious onlookers went to the scene and this made it hard for police officers to pursue or identify the suspects.
Mandera town has experienced several incidents of attacks mainly targeting security and Government vehicles since Operation Linda Nchi began in early October last year.
About seven security officers have been killed in ten attacks that have occurred in Mandera town, while 19 people were killed in Garissa County, among them five security officers.
Five revellers were killed, while ten others were seriously injured as they were ushering in the New Year in a bar in Garissa.
The following day, four men shot dead an aid worker at Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab.
The man, who was a member of Lutheran World Federation (LWF) peace committee, was shot several times at close range.