NAIROBI (Reuters) -Gunmen suspected of belonging to the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group abducted five government officials in northeast Kenya on Monday as they were on their way to work, local leaders were quoted on Monday as saying.
The incident happened in Mandera county when the five village chiefs, government-appointed local officials, were heading to the town of Elwak, Citizen TV said, quoting North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno.
Nation newspaper reported the same incident, quoting Mandera South police commander Julius Njeru. Both blamed al Shabaab.
Police spokesperson Michael Nyaga confirmed the incident and said the suspects were being pursued, but not specify who authorities believed were responsible.
Al Shabaab has been fighting for years in Somalia to topple the central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
It has also carried out attacks in neighbouring Kenya as part of efforts to press Kenya to withdraw troops from Somalia, where they are part of an international peacekeeping force defending the central government.
(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Hereward Holland and Alison Williams)
