At least three people were killed and three others were injured in an alleged terrorist attack on a bus carrying more than 40 passengers in Kenya, media reported on Thursday, citing local police.
"I can confirm that three people have died after suspected militants fired at the bus they were in. Three other people are seriously injured. We shall provide more information once investigations are done", Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.
The media outlet added, citing the transportation company, that there were a total of 44 people on the bus, including the diver. The victims were taken to a hospital, the rest were evacuated.
#KENYA: Suspected Alshabaab militants kill 3 passengers in an attack on a Lamu-bound bus at Nyongoro area in Lamu, a regional administration official confirmed to https://t.co/Bm5ebcYHsn pic.twitter.com/b1MDq5ZedU
— Horn24 (@Horn244) January 2, 2020
According to police, the death toll may increase. Traffic has been suspended until the investigation was complete.
No group has claimed responsibility yet, but attacks like this are typical of the Somali-based al-Shabaab militants, affiliated to al-Qaeda* that have conducted numerous attacks against non-Muslims near the Kenyan-Somalian border. One of the worst attacks took place in November 2014, when al-Shabaab killed 28 Kenyan teachers after hijacking a bus travelling through Mandera Сounty.
*al-Qaeda is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia