Al Shabaab militants kill two policemen, one civilian in eastern Kenya

Police released a statement Wednesday saying that the truck was traveling from Hayley Lapsset to Garissa, 120 km (75 mi) away from Somalia's border when it struck an explosive device. Police said that the militants fired a rocket-propelled bomb at the truck and then engaged in heavy fighting, which resulted in the deaths of all the victims. In 2015, the group attacked Garissa University killing 166 people and wounding 67 others. However, al Shabaab attacks on Kenya have decreased in frequency and severity in recent years. Al Qaeda continues to carry out cross-border attacks as part of its campaign against Kenya to withdraw its forces from Somalia. They are part of the African-Union-mandated peacekeeping force ATMIS. According to police, they have no information about the whereabouts or movements of any other officers who were in the vehicle with them. Al Shabaab is under constant pressure in Somalia ever since August, when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched an offensive against them with the support of the United States, ATMIS, and other local militias. Reporting by Humphrey Malalo, Writing by Hereward Holland, Editing by Toby Chopra