GARISSA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Militant group, al-Shabab, attacked a Kenyan border town early Wednesday and disrupted telecommunication services in the region near the Somalia border.
Northeastern regional Commissioner Mohamed Birik confirmed the incident, saying the militants attacked Hulugho border and destroyed telecommunication mast belonging to mobile operator, Safaricom.
"It's like they had purposely come to destroy the mast before fleeing back on foot. A multi agency security team is however pursuing them," Birik told Xinhua.
He vowed the government will not relent in its effort to rid off the region from al-Shabab incursions.
The militants usually destroy telecommunication masts in the area to disrupt police response and communication in the area before they could inflict harm on the locals.
Locals reported hearing a huge explosion at around 1.00 a.m. in the area which is about 18 km from Somalia border.
The attack on the communication mast came at a time when the same mast was restored following previous attack by same two years plunging locals into darkness from outside world.
Security officers said unknown number of al-Shabab militants attacked the Safaricom mast where they vandalized the vital installations with high powered firearms.
The attack occurred despite the heavy security presence in border area to avert the insurgency.
The assault is the latest in a series that have been reported in the area in the past years since Kenyan troops crossed to Somalia to hunt al-Shabab militants who have been blamed on several insecurity incidents.
