NAIROBI (SD) – At least four people have been killed and two others were wounded after the gunmen staged two separate attacks in Mandera county along Kenya’s border with Somalia.

In a statement, Northeastern Regional Police commander Rono Bunei confirmed that suspected al-Shabaab fighters sprayed two vehicles heading to Mandera town with bullets.

The first attack happened in Kamor Bahaw village located along Fino-Mandera-road.

According to the police, Rukia Adan died in the attack while her son and the driver of the vehicle were injured.

“They sprayed the vehicle with bullets, they did not stop but the woman later succumbed to gunshot wounds at Mandera referral hospital,” Mr Bunei said.

The deceased, Rukia Roble was being taken for a check-up by her son who was with her during the attack. He sustained gunshot wounds according to the police. Barely three hours later, another attack on a private vehicle killed two men, the driver Mowlid Billow Salat and Ahmed Sheikd Abdi also known as ‘Bata’ at the same spot.

They were on their way to deliver spares to a vehicle that had earlier developed mechanical problems along the same road.

“We have deployed more special forces to comb the area, they have been there from yesterday and up to now hunting down those assailants, we will not relent in this fight,” Northeastern Regional commander said.

Kenya’s northeastern region has been borne the brunt of grenade and gun attacks in the last several years since Kenya took its troops to Somalia to fight the al-Shabaab group.

The group’s fighters target non-locals and civil servants in the county, forcing hundreds of non-local doctors, teachers and government workers to flee the region.