Gunmen shoot police officer, steal vehicle in Wajir

A police officer was seriously injured in an ambush in Diff, Wajir County, on New Year’s Day.

Authorities said the officer is currently receiving treatment in hospital after being shot by suspected gunmen at Diff Shopping Centre.

The attackers reportedly forced him out of his official police vehicle before driving away with it.

The officer, who was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser, was ambushed while attempting a U-turn in Diff township.

According to witnesses and police, the attackers fired at him with AK-47 rifles, hitting him in the chest and mouth.

Witnesses described the assailants as four in number, using a white, unmarked Toyota Probox.

Two reportedly carried out the attack while the other two remained in the waiting vehicle.

The stolen Land Cruiser is believed to have been driven toward Hambalash Road near the Kenya-Somalia border.

The officer was rushed to the hospital for specialised treatment, and authorities said investigations are ongoing.

Local officials noted that the loss of the vehicle leaves the police in the area with limited mobility.

Similar incidents have occurred in the region, with police vehicles reportedly stolen and taken across the border into Somalia.

The attack comes a day after gunmen reportedly targeted the Fino Special Operations Group camp in Mandera, firing a rocket-propelled grenade.

Officials said security personnel on the ground repulsed the attack.

Intelligence reports indicate that armed groups remain active in the area, and security agencies are increasing operations along the Kenya-Somalia border to prevent further attacks.

Somalia has faced ongoing instability since 1991, following the overthrow of President Siad Barre. The conflict has contributed to the rise of armed groups in the region.

Kenya launched Operation Linda Nchi in October 2011 after gunmen attacked tourists on the coast, which the government considered a threat to national security.