
Armed men believed to be members of the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group kidnapped five local chiefs in northeast Kenya on Monday as they traveled to work, according to media reports.
The abduction took place in Mandera County while the officials were en route to Elwak town, Citizen TV reported, citing North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno. Nation newspaper also confirmed the incident, quoting Mandera South police commander Julius Njeru.
Kenyan police spokesperson Michael Nyaga has yet to comment on the incident.
Al Shabaab, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Somalia to impose its strict version of Islamic law, has also carried out attacks in Kenya. The group has targeted Kenya in retaliation for its military presence in Somalia, where Kenyan troops are part of an international peacekeeping force supporting the Somali government.