China
14:20, 08-Jul-2017
Missing Kenyan police found alive after Al-Shabaab raid
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By CGTN's Sam Mkenya
A Kenyan police officer has been found alive after he went missing during an Al-Shabaab attack on the coastal town of Lamu on Wednesday.
Local police officers said the missing officer managed to trace his way back to the police station on Thursday morning.
Three police officers were killed while another was seriously injured and airlifted to Manda military hospital for treatment.
Regional police commander Akello Odhiambo says more than 200 heavily armed Al-Shabaab members raided the camp containing 19 police officers, and set it ablaze.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have also recovered the police vehicle that had been commandeered by the militants.
The Toyota Landcruiser was recovered by soldiers who were part of a contingent deployed to pursue the militants on Wednesday evening.
Odhiambo said security agents are on high alert to prevent any further attacks in the region. Police say several militants were killed during the seven hour gunfight by both KDF and police officers, who responded swiftly.
Attacks by Al-Shabaab have decreased drastically in the region since the 2014 Mpeketoni terrorist attacks, which left more than 100 people dead.
Pandanguo village was also attacked after militants stormed a police station and killed at least four security agents.
Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa says they have deployed more security agents to the Boni forest, where militants are believed to be taking refuge.
Marwa said the government is contemplating bombing the forest to flush out the Al-Qaeda linked terror group.
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