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Gunman kills four officers at Kenya police station

Thursday, 14 July 2016 9:08 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 14 July 2016 9:10 AM ]

Kenyan soldiers are seen near Liboi at the border with Somalia, in Kenya. (File photo)

A gunman has shot to death at least four Kenyan officers at a police station in western Kenya, police say.

According to police, the incident occurred on Thursday at the Kapenguria police station in West Pokot County, located near the border with Uganda.

The gunman, a suspected terrorist from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group in Somalia, was being kept in custody for interrogation at the police station and launched the attack after snatching a weapon from a guard by force.

“I can confirm that four police officers have been killed but they could be more,” an officer, speaking anonymously, said, adding that, “The suspect has locked himself inside one of the rooms and we are trying to get him out, we have surrounded the station.”

Kenyan media put the number of police fatalities at six, however.

The file photo shows members of Somalia’s al-Qaeda inspired al-Shabab militant group at a village in Lower Shabelle region. (By AFP)

Al-Shabab, a group known for its campaign of terror in Somalia, has a long record of launching attacks in Kenya as a revenge for the country’s contribution to the African Union (AU)’s mission in Somalia. The AU troops seek to bolster the weak UN-backed government of Somalia against the al-Shabab militancy.

Militants have launched several attacks in Kenya, demanding the pullout of the troops.

Al-Shabab has lost its control of Somalia’s major cities, but keeps carrying out attacks against civilians and troops in the country. Many blame Saudi Arabian Wahhabis for inspiring Shabab militants.

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