- The motive was not immediately known but police suspect the gang is part of those marauding the area for valuables.
- The area is near the Kenya-Ethiopia common border and has of late been facing insecurity incidents.
At least one passenger was shot and killed while four others left with bullet wounds after gunmen opened fire on a bus in Sololo, Moyale, Marsabit County on Monday night.
Police and locals said the incident happened between Bori Junction and Dadach Lakole area.
The bus had about 40 passengers and was racing towards Marsabit town and then to Nairobi when the incident happened on Monday, September 2 evening.
Police said the injured with bullet wounds were rushed to Sololo Mission Hospital where one succumbed.
The attackers escaped from the scene soon after the attack.
The motive was not immediately known but police suspect the gang is part of those marauding the area for valuables.
The area is near the Kenya-Ethiopia common border and has of late been facing insecurity incidents.
The survivors said the gang had first targeted the driver of the bus as he raced at a stretch to force him to stop.
“The bullets damaged the windshield while its front tyre was deflated but he managed to drive off from a danger zone up to where he stopped and sought help for the victims,” said the police.
Eastern police boss Charles Naibei said multi-agency teams are on the ground pursuing the matter.
He said no arrest had been made and they are investigating the motive.
The area has of late faced challenges, which have left dozens of people dead.
From illegal mining activities that left dozens dead to gang attacks, the region is increasingly being turned into a den of crime amid calls to address the situation.
Security agencies link gangs from Ethiopia to some of the attacks and have sought the help of Addis Ababa to contain the trend.
Top Kenyan security bosses flew to the Ethiopian capital on August 22 for a meeting to discuss escalating insecurity.
Security agencies of Kenya and Ethiopia say the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), referred to by Ethiopian authorities as “Shene,” has established direct connections with the al Shabaab militants based in Somalia.
This is a serious move between the two groups, which could continue to destabilize the region at large.
OLA operates in Ethiopia while al-Shabaab has a base in Somalia.
The agencies alleged that the OLA, which it refers to as the “Shene terrorist group,” has been involved in “illegal activities” in the border region, including “contraband trade, illegal arms trafficking, and illegal mining”.
To counter these threats, Ethiopia and Kenya “have decided to enhance their cooperation” through “joint intelligence exchange and coordinated operations.
Officials believe the group recently “abducted two South Korean nationals” and handed them over to al-Shabaab.
The victims, David Lee and his mother-in-law, Hiwi Sokk Cheon, were seized by armed assailants on August 12.
Officials said the missionaries were attacked at their residence within the Odda Mission Church (OMC) Secondary School compound.
The assailants, armed with rifles, forcibly entered the home. The missionaries engaged in community outreach programmes when the attack occurred.
The missionaries were known for their contributions to local development and humanitarian efforts.
National security teams have launched a comprehensive search operation to locate and secure the release of the kidnapped missionaries.
The operation includes ground patrols, aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering.