On Tuesday night, November 1, suspected al-Shabaab militants carjacked an ambulance rushing a patient to Elwak Sub-County Hospital in Mandera.
The vehicle reportedly had four occupants - a paramedic, the driver, the patient and a relative, at the time they were ambushed by the gunmen.
A health officer in Mandera County Health stated that the vehicle was ambushed at Kurkura village near Elwak along Lafey road.
The victims’ whereabouts remain unknown more than six hours after the attack.
Reports, nonetheless, suggest that the militants and the kidnapped victims were seen heading towards Somalia.
Head of Ambulance Services in Mandera County, Fatima Noor, confirmed the attack, stating that investigations into the matter commenced.
She, however, declined to comment further since security forces took control of the investigations.
Lafey Member of Parliament, Mohamed Abdiker, also confirmed and condemned the incident.
Abdiker asked the government to fast-track the case and restore peace and order in the area.
Security forces linked the attack to Al Shabaab. However, the militants were yet to claim responsibility for the ambush.
In January 2022, at least seven people were killed when Al Shabaab militants attacked a minibus. The armed men were accused of throwing explosives at the occupants near Mandera town.
