5 policemen killed in Kenya blast

Rabat, May 25 (IANS/MAP) Five policemen were killed on Thursday when their vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device in eastern Kenya.

"The five policemen killed in the attack were on their way to reinforce our ongoing operation towards Liboi, a town on the border with Somalia," said Northeast region coordinator Mohamud Ali Saleh.

The Kenyan Red Cross said the incident occurred in Garissa County, between the towns of Malelei and Kulan.

On Wednesday, eight policemen were killed in two separate explosions when their vehicles struck explosive devices in eastern Kenya near the border with Somalia.

Five policemen attached to the security of the governor of Mandera (northeast), Ali Roba, were killed when their vehicle hit a cracked device. Roba escaped unharmed.

Three other policemen were killed in another explosion near the Liboi border crossing.

Regional government official Mohamud Saleh said the attacks will not deter the government's resolve to fight and eliminate terror from the region.

"For the last one-and-half weeks, Al-Shabaab operatives have tried to destabilise the region and especially along the border with Somalia, but our resolve is to fight them remains undeterred," he said.

--IANS

soni/dg