Al-Shabaab Militants Storm Kenyan Village

At least 12 Al-Shabaab militants stormed a Kenyan village in the border town of Wajir on Friday night and took control for a few minutes, officials confirmed on Saturday.

Terrified residents said the militants are believed to have crossed from the Somali border where they allegedly hoisted the black Al-Shabaab flag in a local government's office at Konton area, Wajir East before proceeding to lecture terrified villagers.

Northeastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh said that the militants, who control a small town in Somalia called Daresalam and which is 15 km from Konton town in Kenya, were immediately repulsed by the Kenyan security forces.

"The military officers who are stationed at Gerille area 12km from the town quickly responded and in less than 20 minutes the militia had been repulsed back to Somalia," Saleh said, noting that no one was injured.

He, however, refuted claims by local residents that the militias raised their flag in the town. Saleh fusaid that he had contacted the Somali National Army to immediately take over the town.

Kenyan security agencies have intensified border patrols to deter infiltration of the militants into the country at a time of increased threats by the terrorists' network and homegrown terror cells after the Garissa university attack on April 2, in which 148 people were killed. (Cihan/Xinhua)