An early morning bomb blast targeting a passenger bus has left at least 10 people dead on Monday in
Mandera, a county located several miles from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.
The blast also left several people badly wounded along Arabia-Mandera Highway, which has been a hotspot for Al-Shabaab attacks. The exact number of people in the vehicle which was traveling to Mandera town is still unknown.
Police said at least eight other passengers were seriously injured in the early morning bomb blast.
Authorities in Kenya suspect that the attack was by Al-Shabaab militants who have been targeting the region. Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, and Lamu Counties have been major targets of the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants.
Northwestern regional commissioner, George Seda noted that nobody has been arrested in connection with the blast. He however added that security forces have been mobilised to pursue the attackers.
Last week, the foreign missions of France, the USA, and the Netherlands warned of an impending terror attack in Kenya but did not give specifics. The missions asked their nationals to avoid tourist sites as police beefed up security.
Al-Shabaab terrorists have been attacking places in the region especially in Mandera and Garissa counties after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead and wounded.
The militants control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia but have been significantly degraded by security forces. Importantly, Kenya has borne the brunt of Al-Shabaab attacks for the last 14 years.