A group of Al-Shabaab militants on Thursday made daring simultaneous attacks on two police camps and a mobile telecommunication mast in Lafey, Mandera County.
The more than 50 suspected Al-Shabaab militants had divided themselves into a group of three during their attack but they were immediately repulsed by security officers manning the facility.
One officer was killed and another seriously injured and a woman whose house was next to the police station was also injured by a stray bullet that hit her in the head.
North Eastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh however dismissed reports that the slain officer was killed during the attack by the militants saying that the officer was killed outside his house.
Speaking to journalists in his office, Mr Saleh further said that the police managed to kill one of the attackers and injured another during the fierce gun battle that lasted for hours.
Magazines and ammunition belonging to the militants were recovered by the police at the scene, he added.
The regional coordinator said that during the 2.30 am incident four vehicles were burnt using rocket propelled grenades, which the militants hauled from a distance adding that two of the vehicles were already grounded.
“Our officers managed to recover several magazines and ammunition at the scene that belonged to them. All our officers were accounted for contrary to earlier reports that there are some who were either missing or had been kidnapped,” Mr Saleh said.
He however assured the residents in the region and especially those at the border towns that enough security will be provided as the general elections near.