CORRECTING OBJECT NAME AND INFO IN CAPTION A picture taken on November 4, 2008 shows Islamist fighters from the hard-line Shabab movement taking part in a military drill at a camp in the northern outskirts of Mogadishu. Hostilities between the transitional government and hardline islamist movements for the control of Somalia's wartorn capital, Mogadishu, seem set to continue after defying numerous attempts to pacify warring factions as internal wrangles continue to dog efforts to establish an effective government. AFP PHOTO / Mustafa ABDI

Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have earlier today raided an AP camp in Arabia, Mandera County. A number of police officers are feared dead but reinforcements from KDF have reportedly been sent to the area. Communication has been cut off after the militia destroyed a telecommunication mast.

Al-Shabaab destroy telecommunication masts in Mandera County

Al-Shabaab started destroying telecommunication masts in Mandera county last year and in December they vandalized two (Safaricom and Orange).

Residents expressed fear that the destruction of the communication posts was an indication of an impending attack.

The attack at Arabia police post comes in the wake of what officials termed as an “attempted attack” of a KDF base in Kulbiyow, Somalia on Friday last week.

Today 27, January 2017, at around 0500hrs, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers operating under AMISOM, in the general area of Kolbiyow, lower juba, fiercely engaged an Al-Shabaab group which had attempted to attack the camp,” LT Colonel Paul Njuguna said in the statement.

Al-Shabaab had earlier alleged to have over run the camp and killed at least 50 soldiers.