A Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) traveling from Wajir to Mandera County was on Saturday, September 16, blown up by a roadside bomb, instantly killing the driver.
It was also reported that four passengers sustained serious injuries during the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack.
The all-weather road Land Cruiser van, which had been converted into a PSV, was ferrying five passengers when it ran over the IED.
The vehicle encountered the IED in the Qurqura area, between Alungu and Elwak Towns, which is a popular route for many traders in both Wajir and Mandera Counties.
The survivors immediately made frantic distress calls to police officers in Mandera County.
A contingent of police officers, soon after, arrived at the scene minutes later to assess the scene and evacuate both the dead and the injured.
The injured passengers were immediately rushed to Mandera Level Five Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.
In particular, the passengers sustained shrapnel injuries from the metallic materials that had been stuffed up in the homemade bomb.
It is suspected that the Improvised Explosive Device was planted by Al-Shabaab militants who have been targeting Kenyan forces operating in the area.
The Somali-based militant Islamist group has been carrying out attacks in Northern Kenya for years. The group has also been particularly active in Coastal Kenya, where it has carried out numerous attacks on security forces and civilians.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence in al-Shabaab activity in Northern Kenya.
The presence of al-Shabaab in northern Kenya has had a devastating impact on the region. The attacks have killed and wounded hundreds of people, and have displaced thousands more.
The violence has also disrupted economic activity and made it difficult for people to access essential services.
