Hiiraan Online
Tuesday January 30, 2018
Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia who confirmed that one person was killed and another injured on June 6, 2017 after their vehicle was shot at in Mandera North Sub-County. FILE PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Nairobi (HOL) - Kenya's Anti-terror Police Unit are hunting 35 suspected individuals after the government accused them of helping Alshabaab to carry out attacks in Mandera county.
Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the police launched a manhunt to track down the individuals who are suspected to have been recruited by Alshabaab in Somalia.
"The government had been investigating issues of Al-Shabaab attacks in the county, 35 persons were identified as Al-Shabaab helpers and sympathizers. The police are hunting them," said Shisia.
He pointed out that they put in place number of measure to counter-terrorism in the county.
"The law enforcement agencies in Mandera county have carried out measures to fight Alshabaab and thwart their heinous attacks in the county," he affirmed.
The move comes on the heel of North-Eastern regional coordinator, Mohamud Saleh warning against these individuals during Peace Committee Meeting in Mandera in late last week.
Saleh said those individuals who comprised young were raised their families in Kenya and crossed into Somalia where they were trained.
" These boys grew up here in this county later crossed into Somalia to be trained. They came back to assist the terror group and form sleeping cells within the county," said Saleh.
He reiterated the government's mission to carry out a massive security operation in areas suspected to be prone zone.
Mandera County has been the victim of Al-Shabaab attacks since Kenya sent its troops to fight inside Somalia.
On the 20th this month, Al-Shabaab militants destroyed a Telecom communication mast located in Elwak, Mandera County.