Kenyan police officer killed as donkey cart with explosives explode in border region

NAIROBI, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Kenyan police officer was killed and three others were wounded on Thursday after an explosive device, attached to a donkey cart, detonated at a border crossing in Mandera County bordering Somalia, according to the police.

Two donkeys accompanied by a guide were transporting luggage from the neighboring Somali side when the remotely-controlled improvised explosive device exploded around 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) at the border crossing, the police said in a security report. "Authorities are swiftly responding to the incident, conducting investigations to ascertain the details surrounding the attack."

The police said that an officer lost his life on the spot, and three of his colleagues were rushed to the hospital. They stopped the animals and their guide for the routine inspection of contraband goods when the improvised explosive device went off, and a suspect who fled back to Somalia has been arrested by Somali police while attempting to escape from the scene.

The police noted that the explosive device was remote-controlled by al-Shabab militants operating in the area.