Kenya confirms five nationals abducted by Somalian militia

A statement from police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said on Thursday the five were on an official visit to the Kenyan border town of Mandera, when their vehicle was attacked by heavily armed Somali militia.


"The five had crossed the border from Mandera town to go to the border village of Bula Hawa inside Somalia for shopping," Kiraithe said in a statement.


He said the police have sent two prominent local emissaries to secure the release of the five Kenyans and contact has already been established with the local leaders for the same purpose.


The Al-Shabaab group which controls the Somali border town of Bulo Hawo has confirmed that they were holding the five Kenyan nationals. Al-Shabaab, a pro-al-Qaeda group, denied the abduction, saying the five officials were arrested for crossing the border with no papers.


The militia which is battling the Somali government and African Union peacekeepers overran the provincial town of Baidoa, the former seat of parliament, earlier this year to tighten its grip on large swathes of the south.


Clan leaders in the region are expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the incident. It is likely that the elders would request the release of the five Kenyan men.

The hostages are a district education officer from Wajir, three school inspectors from Garissa and Mandera, and a driver.


"Kenya Police wishes to assure the relatives, friends and colleagues of the abducted officers that everything possible is being done to secure their release," Kiraithe said.


Last week, four UN workers were set free hours after they were abducted by armed group in Wajid, Bakool region. The Al-Shabaab administration that controls the area denied that they were behind the kidnapping.


Somalian militants have launched cross-border attacks several times on Kenyan towns, villages, markets and shopping centers before abducting people, including police officers, into Somalia.


In 2007, two police officers on patrol were kidnapped along the border. Their mutilated bodies were found in a bush on the Somali side. Their firearms and uniforms were stolen.

Source: Xinhua