Kurzweil
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- May 25, 2011
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Al Shabaab on Tuesday attacked the Mokowe GSU camp in Lamu West just hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the police to eliminate them.
The officers at the station overpowered the heavily armed terrorists, who approached the camp in two groups at around 1 am, forcing the to flee into Mpeketoni forest.
"At around 1 am, we saw two groups of people approaching our camp. We asked them to identify themselves but they refused."
"That's when we decided to fire at them. They also started firing back. The fire exchange lasted for about 20 minutes before we overpowered them."
"They disappeared into the bushes," a police officer, who asked not to be named, said.
Mokowe is roughly about 40 kilometres from Milihoi. Another police officer said he received a text message from one of his bosses asking him to be alert since Mokowe GSU camp was under attack.
"It was around 3 am. I contacted one of my colleagues at Mokowe who confirmed they were attacked by suspected Al-Shabaab militants but managed to repulse the attackers."
"There weren't any casualties despite the exchange of fire that ensued," the officer said.
The incident came barely a week after more than five people, including police officers, were killed by militants who hijacked a vehicle carrying Public Works PS Mariam El Maawy.
El Maawy was shot and injured during the attack that also left her nephew, a trainee pilot Arif Kassim Athman dead.
The PS was later rescued by KDF and is admitted to hospital following the Thursday attack. They were heading to Witu to visit displaced persons living in camps on July 13.
Mokowe locals said they heard heavy gunshots from the camp.
"I was in my house but I could clearly hear what was going on from where I was. The gunshots lasted for over 30 minutes," Mohamed Omar of Mokowe said.
The incident took place just hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed rallies in Kizingitini in Lamu East and Mpeketoni in Lamu West.
He declared a major war against the terror group. The President ordered the police to kill al Shabaab on the spot.
Source: The Star