Suspected al-Shabab attack kills 5 policemen in Kenya's east

CAIRO - August 15 2017: A Kenyan government official says suspected al-Shabab extremists have killed five police officers in an ambush in the country's east, ABC News reported.

Northeastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh on Tuesday said fighters with the al-Qaida-linked group planted a mine that blew up a patrol car carrying seven officers in Garissa county. Saleh says an unknown number of gunmen then attacked the vehicle.

One officer was wounded and another escaped to safety. At least 45 Kenyan policemen have been killed in such attacks by al-Shabab since May. The group based in neighboring Somalia has vowed retribution on Kenya for sending troops to Somalia in 2011 to fight the extremists. Al-Shabab has carried out more than 100 attacks inside Kenya.