Hundreds flee Lamu after Al Shabaab dawn attack, missing police found

Tension remains high in Lamu County after suspected Al Shabaab militants attacked Ishakani Village in Lamu East on Sunday morning.

Over 100 heavily armed militants are reported to have attacked the village located between the Lamu-Somalia border, rounded up the villagers and had a pep talk with them, that lasted for close to thirty minutes.

According to sources, the militants referred to religious teachings and urged the locals not to support local security forces, advising them to stay away from them. No one was harmed during the 6 am incident.

With fears rife of an impending attack, locals are not taking any chances. Many begun fleeing to the neighbouring Kiunga area, which is just five kilometres away from Ishakani and eight kilometres from the Somalia border.

The Sunday ambush comes barely a day after a civilian was killed and five police officers injured by suspected Al Shabaab militants in Nyongoro, Lamu County and set ablaze two police land rovers.

A police officer who had gone missing following the attack has since been found.

This comes even as operation to flush out the suspected Al Shabaab attackers has been ongoing in the area.

The Al Shabaab menace is however not new in Lamu. In July last year, Al Shabaab insurgents killed two police officers and injured several after an attack in Pandaguo area.

In November the same year, three police officers were seriously injured after Al Shabaab militants made a surprise attack on a convoy of buses they were escorting.

In August 2015, the militants ambushed Basuba Village in Lamu East, rounded up the villagers and preached to them for over an hour.