This archive report was first published on 7 December 2019.
Scores Feared Dead in Wajir Bus Attack by Suspected Al-Shabaab Militants ¶
On Friday, December 6, 2019, a bus traveling from Kutulo to Wargadud was attacked by suspected al-Shabaab militants in Wajir county.
The bus was heading to Mandera county with an unknown number of passengers, including several police officers who were heading back to their work stations in Elwak and Mandera, as well as quarry workers.
According to reports, the militia separated the passengers into two groups during the attack, which occurred at 5:00pm.
County police boss Stephen Ng'etich confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the incident, but the number of casualties remained unknown at the time.
Ng'etich stated, 'I can confirm that a group of armed men ambushed a bus that was travelling to Mandera this (Friday) evening, we are yet to get information on the number of casualties.'
On December 5, 2019, the US government placed a KSh 500 million bounty on the head of American citizen Jehad Serwan Mostafa, who is accused of supplying weapons to al-Shabab.
The US top federal prosecutor stated, 'We believe this defendant is the highest-ranking US citizen fighting overseas with a terrorist organisation. Al-Shabaab's reign of terror threatens US national security, our international allies and innocent civilians. Today we seek the public's assistance in capturing Mostafa and disrupting Al-Shabaab.'
