5 Kenyan chiefs abducted
Five Kenyan chiefs have been abducted in Mandera County, Kenya.
The chiefs were travelling on official duty from Wargadud to Elwak Town when their vehicle was hijacked between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki in Mandera South.
It is suspected that al-Shabaab militants are responsible for the kidnap.
The five chiefs, from the Wargadud East, Qurahmudow, and Chachabole areas, were on their way to a meeting to prepare for an upcoming visit by President William Ruto to the region.
They were travelling together when the attack happened, local reports say.
Local police say the rescue efforts were delayed due to a separate attack on a security team. The group, part of Kenya’s Special Operations Group (SOG), was ambushed by an improvised explosive device (IED), which further slowed down the response.
Mandera County has seen similar attacks by al-Shabaab in the past. In 2017, a senior chief was killed, and two police reservists were taken by gunmen. There have also been other abductions in the area.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Ministry of Interior has said investigations into the incident are already underway.
