France 24 | Deadly attacks target buses in Kenyan capital Nairobi

At least three people were killed and dozens more were wounded, some of them critically, after two explosions targeted buses travelling a highway in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Sunday, local police said.

“So far three people have been confirmed dead, one was killed at the scene and two died in hospital. The final report will be known later tonight or tomorrow, once we check with all the hospitals,” said Moses Ombati, the deputy police commander for
Nairobi, in comments to Reuters.

Ombati said earlier that the blasts took place on two buses travelling on Thika highway.

The explosions come a day after four people were killed when a grenade was thrown at a bus stop in Mombasa. A second blast at a public beach in the coastal town did not kill anyone.

Kenya has been hit by a wave of gun and explosives attacks since it sent troops to neighboring Somalia to fight Islamic extremist rebel group al Shabaab in 2011. The al Qaida-linked militants have vowed to carry out terrorist attacks in Kenya in response.

Terror warnings have been a constant in Kenya in recent months, particularly after the attack on the Westgate Mall that killed at least 67 people in September. Al Shabab claimed responsibility for that attack.

Last month a car bomb exploded outside a police station in Nairobi, killing two officers and the two men of Somali origin inside the vehicle. Police had impounded the car for driving on the wrong side of the road. Three ethnic Somalis have been arrested for the blast and are expected to be charged in court this week.

Kenya has been conducting a major security operation in response to the wave of attacks since last month.

Thousands of people, mainly ethnic Somalis, have been arrested in a security sweep that has been heavily criticised by human rights groups who say officials unfairly target Somali nationals, detain suspects without trial in inhumane conditions and deny them representation, take part in extortion and circumvent the courts to deport suspects back to Somalia.

Police say the operation is aimed at weeding out terrorists and illegal aliens from war-torn neighbouring countries who are blamed for smuggling small arms and other weapons into Kenya through its porous borders.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AP)