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Four killed in grenade attacks and landmine explosion in northern Kenya

24 November 2011 22:11 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least three people were killed on Thursday evening in two separate grenade attacks that took place almost at the same time in Garissa town, barely hours after landmine explosion killed a Kenyan soldier and injured 12 others in Mandera, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Garissa regional Police Commander Leon Nyongesa confirmed the latest incident, saying dozens of people were injured in the two explosions which took place in a hospital and a shop in Garissa town.

"We have three confirmed deaths and several injured in the two grenade attacks which took place at the same time in Garissa town. We have not established the cause of the twin attacks," Nyongesa told Xinhua by telephone.

Eye witnesses said the first incident took place at Kwa Chege Hotel when unknown gunman threw grenade into hotel on the customers who were watching news at 7:30 pm local time, critically injuring three people.

"I was in the hotel when I heard a loud bang inside the hotel. When I rushed out, I heard cries from the customers who were watching the news from my hotel. Three people were in critical condition but two others later succumbed to injuries," James Chege, the hotel owner told Xinhua.

He said the injured were later rushed to the local hospital for treatment following the attacks, which have been blamed on Al- Shabaab sympathizers in the region.

Other witnesses said the second grenade attack took place in a shop located on Ngamia Road in Garissa town when unknown taxi driver threw grenade on a customer who was buying vegetables from the shop.

"The grenade hit the man who was shopping and died instantly. Four others who were seriously injured were later rushed to the hospital," Emilly Atieno, the shopkeeper told Xinhua.

The latest development came hours after the Kenyan military confirmed that one soldier was killed and 12 others wounded when their truck drove over an explosive device, near Kenya’s borders with Somalia and Ethiopia.

Military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the explosion happened as the soldiers were on patrol in the town of Mandera. He said five seriously wounded soldiers were airlifted to the town of Garissa for treatment, but one died of his wounds. Chirchir said 13 troops were on board the truck.

The blast was the latest of several grenade and roadside bomb attacks in Kenya since Kenyan troops entered Somalia to hunt down the militant group Al-Shabaab.

The east African nation blames the group for a string of attacks and kidnappings in Kenya, including those of four Europeans. The Kenyan government says the kidnappings threaten tourism, a key source of revenue for the country.

Al-Shabaab has been fighting since 2008 to topple Somalia’s weak central government. The group is believed to have ties to al- Qaeda.