28 December 2015•Update: 28 December 2015
By Magdalene Mukami
NAIROBI, Kenya
Two people have died in northeastern Kenya after an explosion and gunfire broke out as a military convoy passed through Mandera town.
The Kenyan army on Monday confirmed the deaths, adding that five people had been injured, two of them critically.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Col. David Obonyo said the two deaths happened when soldiers fired on a car which drove near an army vehicle before exploding.
It was not clear of those injured were hurt by the explosion or the gunfire, Col. Obonyo said.
Mandera residents have been demonstrating, claiming that the two people killed were innocent civilians.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Abdi Warfa, a teacher and resident of Mandera, said that protests were ongoing.
“Youths are throwing stones at the security forces; they have also blocked roads with stones and set tires on fire.
“They claim that the police opened fire on innocent civilians in … broad daylight,” Warfa added.
Last week, two police officers were killed when an improvised explosive device went off as they were on patrol along Lafey-Elwak Road in Mandera.
There have been at least four other similar cases this month in Mandera town which left security forces injured.
