By Andrew Ross
NAIROBI
Somalia's Al-Shabaab militant group on Tuesday claimed to have killed 20 Kenyan policemen in an attack on a border town between Somalia and Kenya.
"Our special forces conducted a successful operation, killing 20 Kenyan policemen in an attack on their convoy in Yumbis town on the Somali border," Al-Shabaab spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab told a pro-Shabaab radio station, without saying exactly when the attack took place.
Abu Musab went on to predict that the death toll from the attack would rise further in coming hours.
Kenyan police spokesman George Kinoti told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday morning that at least 13 Kenyan policemen remained unaccounted for after Al-Shabaab militants ambushed a police convoy late Monday in northeastern Kenya's Garissa County.
Kenyans on social media, meanwhile, shared unconfirmed reports that as many as 20 police officers had been killed.
On Monday, the Kenya Defense Forces killed seven Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia.
Monday's reported ambush of the Kenyan police officers came days after Al-Shabaab attacked a village in the town of Garissa – over which the group hoisted its flag – before withdrawing hours later.
Last month, at least 148 people – mostly students – were killed in an attack by the Al-Qaeda-linked group on the campus of Garissa University College.
Al-Shabaab has vowed to carry out attacks in Kenya as long as the East African country maintains a military presence in Somalia.
