Three Kenyan police officers injured in IED blast on water bowser
At least three police officers serving in Kenya's General Service Unit have been injured in an IED blast while searching for water aboard a water bowser.
According to the Kenyan outlet The Star, police said the incident happened at around 06:33 on Monday 23 February in Fafi, near the border with Somalia in the east of the country. Terrorists from the group al-Shabaab are believed to be behind the attack.
The officers from Fafi Operations Camp in the General Service Unit - the paramilitary wing in the Kenya Police Service - were on their way to search for water aboard a water bowser when they encountered the IED, which had been dug and set underneath the road.
The IED detonated as the vehicle passed over it, extensively damaging the bowser’s engine section. The team was under escort by a "Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected" vehicle, which responded immediately and facilitated the rescue operation, said police.
The injured officers were rushed to a nearby dispensary for first aid and stabilisation before being airlifted to Nairobi for specialised medical attention.
"Security agencies have since heightened operations in the area as investigations into the attack continue," wrote Cyrus Ombati for The Star. "The area is seen as a breeding ground for terror groups which emanate from neighbouring Somalia through the porous border."
