Three non-local residents in Mandera were kidnapped Wednesday evening by suspected al Shabaab militiamen along Fino-Lafey road.

The three were on board a bus that had left Mandera town on its way to Lafey when it was stopped by suspected al Shabab along the remote area between Fino and Sheikh Barrow.

They separated the locals from non-locals who were all in the bus before ordering the locals to get into the bus and proceed with their journey. They then fled on foot towards Somalia with their captives.

Confirming the incident after a security meeting with top county security chiefs, Mandera County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha said the whereabouts of the kidnapped is still unknown.

He said a security team had put in place mechanisms to ensure that non-locals willing to travel to the outskirts of Mandera town especially those that are very risky are accompanied by police escort and wondered how the bus operators left without escort.

Mr Kyatha added it was regrettable how the three non-locals boarded the bus to go towards the border knowing very well that the place is still volatile and insecure especially for non-locals.

KNA by Dickson Githaiga