Al-Shabaab militants targeted a passenger bus in Wajir on Thursday, June 15 as they searched for nonlocals in the latest such attack.
At least 55 passengers who were all locals headed for Mandera escaped unharmed in the 4 am incident.
Police and witnesses who were survivors and passengers said they were on board Almukaran bus when they were attacked in the Bore area about six kilometers from Tarbaj trading center.
The gang of about 15 shot in the air forcing the driver to stop and then ordered all the passengers to alight.
The terrorists said they were looking for nonlocals but failed to find any. The bus was carrying locals, police and the witnesses said.
And after the failed search, the gang allowed the driver to proceed with the journey to Mandera.
Nothing was stolen from the passengers and bus crew.
The driver stopped at the Tarbaj police station where they reported the matter before proceeding.
A similar incident happened in the same area on Tuesday, June 13.
The driver of the targeted bus failed to stop forcing the attackers to deflate one of the bus tyres but no injuries were reported, police said.
Past similar attacks left tens of nonlocal passengers dead.
There are fears the terrorists plan a large-scale attack given more of them have crossed the Kenya-Somalia border for the mission.
This came as Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki flew to Lamu Wednesday a day after terrorists killed 16 security officials in an ambush in the area.
The three-day visit to the region which is near the porous Kenya-Somalia border comes amid sustained al-Shabaab attacks.
Security agencies have been mobilized to counter the increasing rate of terror-related attacks near the border.
Kindiki said Wednesday he was in the area to meet local leadership and security for engagements on various issues.
“In Lamu County for a 3-day security working tour. To hold a series of meetings with the County Security and Intelligence Committee, political, religious, business, and community leaders as well as members of the public,” he said.
It is not clear if it was planned or was prompted by the Tuesday attacks.
And given June 15, 2014 was the day terrorists landed in Mpeketoni Town, Lamu County causing terror, there are fears the gang wants to mark the ninth anniversary with a bigger attack.
The past two weeks have seen a rise in attacks stretching along the border, which have left more than 20 people dead.
The latest attacks happened on Tuesday, June 13 in Garissa and Lamu Counties and left more than 16 security officials including a senior military officer dead.
In Bodhai, Sangailu area, Garissa, authorities said the terror group targeted troops with an IED killing ten of them.
This is after their vehicle ran over an IED.
The personnel were also attacked by guns, police and witnesses said.
A team of National Police Reserve that responded was met with resistance, officials said.
This left six of the NPR dead.
Another IED hit a security vehicle in the Mararani Area of Responsibility in Lamu killing two troops, officials said adding the attacks happened almost simultaneously.
Security agencies have warned of worse times ahead as the attacks increase.
Later in the day, personnel at Mangai killed one terror suspect in a botched attack on a camp.
Last week, two police officers died while five were injured after an armored car they were traveling in was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device in Mandera near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Many factors are being floated as part of the reasons the attacks have returned.
They include the ongoing campaign in Somalia against the terror group.
And the attacks coming at a time when the country marks nine years since the attack in Mpeketoni, and there are fears of serious ones in the offing.
In Mpeketoni, some locals are fearing for the worst but hope the agencies will stop the terrorists.
The town was previously a beehive of activity both during the day and at night and was headed to become Lamu’s major trade, business, and investment hub, until the night of June 15, 2014, when all this took a drastic turn for the worse.
Between 15 June and 17 June 2014, more than 90 people were killed in attacks in and near Mpeketoni.
The Mpeketoni terror attack and subsequent raids in Kibaoni, Witu, Hindi, and other villages in Boni forest and on the border of Lamu and Somalia left scars that have affected the towns’ growth.
The terrorists killed more than 90 men and destroyed property worth millions of shillings in the worst terror attack in the region.
Hundreds of women were plunged into widowhood and children were left fatherless.
The attack has stalled the growth and expansion of these towns, making them lose investment.
The militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
Al Shabaab terrorists have been attacking places in the region, especially in Mandera and Garissa counties after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead and wounded.
The terrorists have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies.
They also targeted development projects like roads.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia to pursue and suppress the activities of the terror group.
