Security forces in Mandera County have been placed on full alert after suspected Al-Shabaab militants launched a bold assault on a police camp in Lafey, leaving one officer and two civilians nursing injuries.
The incident unfolded at around 5.10 p.m. on Friday when a group estimated at between 8 and 10 heavily armed militants crept toward the Fino Special Operations Group Camp from the eastern side.
The attackers fired three Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG) at the facility, one of which found its mark inside the camp and brought down a toilet block, while the remaining two came down at the Fino Centre trading area nearby.
The RPG fire was backed up by sustained bursts from PKM machine guns and AK-47 rifles, setting off a running gun battle that raged for more than 30 minutes before the militants were driven back.
A police officer was wounded in the knee during the exchange of fire.
Two members of the public who were at the trading centre when the attack spilled over also sustained injuries, a teenager identified as Umer Dakane Afey, 18, was hit in the leg, while 25-year-old Maulid Farah Hussein was struck on the head. Both injuries were described as minor.
Security personnel at the camp mounted a firm response that pushed the attackers back and restored order at the facility.
Multi-agency teams have since fanned out across Lafey Sub-County on clearance patrols as the hunt for the fleeing militants continues.
