Security authorities in Kenya say 13 people have been confirmed dead in Mandera County on the country’s border with Somalia after a minibus ran over an Improvised Explosive Device in the early hours of Monday morning.
The attack follows several travel advisories by Western nations warning that Kenya’s public places may be a target of a terror attack.
On Friday, police said they had heightened security following the attack.
Initial reports indicate that the attack linked to the Somali based al Shabaab militant group happened at about 6 am on Monday.
Several European embassies in Nairobi had on Thursday issued terror alerts and urged their nationals living in Kenya to avoid public places.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. But over the years fighters from al Shabaab have killed hundreds in such attacks that have targeted security personnel, schools, vehicles, towns and telephone infrastructure in the area as part of their campaign to pressure Kenya into withdrawing its forces from Somalia.
Kenyan troops are part of the African-Union peace keeping force AMISOM that is helping to defend Somalia’s government from the militants.
