Three dead as other passengers dash into bushes for life as Alshaabaab strikes Moyale Raha Bus

By Machuki Dennson
Three people are believed to have died and five others injured in a dawn terror attack on a Moyale Raha bus plying Moyale-Mandera-Nairobi route.
North Eastern region commissioner Nick Ndalana has confirmed the incident saying it happened at Mandera north Sub County between Ollo and Salma.
Ndalana says about 11 militia waived down the bus but the driver declined to stop.
Ndalana says the alshabaab suspects chased the bus on three motorbikes and thereby shooting the rear wheels.
In the process 3 passengers were shot and died on the spot. The rest of the passengers managed to runaway into the bush.
Ndalana says that at the time of the attack the bus was not being escorted as it is a tradition for all public service vehicles plying the routes prone to attacks. He says the escort was between Mandera to Ram and he does not understand why the escort dropped on the way.
Reports show that, at around 1000hrs, a Moyale Raha bus plying Moyale-Mandera-Nairobi route was attacked by people suspected to be Al-Shabaab operatives between Ollo and Gumba area in Mandera north.
Ndalana has issued to a stern warning to all buses operating in the area without any escort. Ndalana has asked bus owners not to allow their buses to operate without any escort and if they do not comply they might be held responsible.
“Get my instructions, no bus should move within those areas that the escort is required not to move from any point to the other without any escort,” instructed Ndalana.
Ndalana went further to assure Mandera residents that the government will eradicate the terror operatives in the north eastern region.
“We are aware they are all over, but we have decided to be everywhere so that we counter them as much as we can” assured Ndalana.
Addressing the press in Marsabit town on Wednesday evening, Ndalana applauded the Mandera residents who have joined the government in countering the alshabaab. He says the residents have felt a pinch being left behind in education sector because of the continued terror attacks in the region and they would like to end the menace so as to attract teachers back in the region.
The regional commissioner further said that the government is using the locals including the chiefs, national police reservists and elders to arrest the situation in the area.
Al-Shabaab also continues to stage sporadic, low scale attacks in northeastern prefectures of Kenya close to the border with Somalia.
The militia group in previous attacks has targeted security patrol units, communication masts (BTS), non-locals especially teachers and public service vehicles.