Two suspects have been arrested after a blast ripped through a food joint in Mandera Town on Monday, April 7, leaving one person seriously injured. Authorities are pursuing a third suspect—a bodaboda rider who transported the pair to the site and fled before the device exploded.
Police believe the suspects were planting an IED at the eatery in Shafshafey area when it detonated prematurely. The blast destroyed the roof and cracked the walls of Delicacy Food Hotel. Four people were inside at the time—three escaped unharmed, while one was rushed to Mandera Referral Hospital with a fractured femur and abdominal injuries.
Investigations revealed that two of the escapees were behind the attempted attack. They were later arrested and remain in custody.
This comes as security agencies intensify operations near the Kenya–Somalia border, a region frequently targeted by al-Shabaab, a designated terrorist group. The explosion occurred shortly after five chiefs, kidnapped by militants on February 3, were released in Jilb, Somalia, and handed over to Garreh elders before being returned to Elwak.
