5 Children Killed in Grenade Explosion

Five children are reported to have been killed on Thursday evening after a grenade they were playing with exploded in Mandera County.

The children aged between 12 and 16 years were playing with the grenade they had found in a grazing field when it detonated.

Banisa Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Mathias Chisambo confirmed the incident stating that the schoolchildren found the device on Wednesday and played with it unknowingly.

"They picked up the device on Wednesday and played with it until it exploded on Thursday evening," Mr Chisambo stated.

Kiliweheri MCA Bashir Ibrahim Ali told reporters that the grenade could have been left by the British during the colonial era.

[caption caption="Pieces of clothes hang on a tree following an explosion that killed five children in Mandera on December 21, 2017. Courtesy"][/caption]

Earlier in the month, three Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers were killed after a military truck they were traveling in overturned along the Elwak-Kotulo-Wajir road in the County.

Several others who were traveling in the truck were also airlifted to Nairobi for further treatment after they suffered serious injuries.

The lorry is said to have been one of three that were traveling to Mandera from Wajir county when the incident occurred.

Mandera South Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Bundotich confirmed the incident stating: "The bodies of the three soldiers and the injured have since been airlifted to Nairobi."

Mr Bundotich also dismissed reports that the officers had been attacked with explosives.

"It was an accident and not a terrorist attack," he stated.

[caption caption="File image of Aid Workers in Mandera "][/caption]

 

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