WAJIR, KENYA  — Police in eastern Kenya are blaming al-Shabab militants for the death of an officer and a civilian in an attack in Garissa County, on the border with Somalia.

Garissa County police commander Thomas Ngeiywa said Thursday the two victims were among six people on board a police vehicle that struck an improvised explosive device in the Hayley Lapsset [refugee?] camp.

Ngeiywa told VOA by phone that three other police officers wounded in the Wednesday morning explosion have since been airlifted to Nairobi for treatment.

He said police suspect al-Shabab militants were behind the attack. He said a multi-agency security team is pursuing the militants.

“We expect it could be these bad boys but we have a lead and we are catching them,” said Ngeiywa.

The incident comes a few days after suspected al-Shabab members destroyed a radio tower in a police station in Kutulo, in Kenya’s border county of Mandera.

Ngeiywa urged the public to report anything suspicious to police.

“I urge the public to continue being cooperative by giving us early information and in that way, we will be able to wipe this gang once and for all,” said Ngeiywa.

Somalia-based al-Shabab has been active in Kenya for more than a decade, even since Kenya sent troops to join the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. (KB/VOA)