Kenyan police issue bounty for 5 terror suspects

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Kenyan police on Wednesday offered a large reward for five al-Shabaab militants the security forces claim have been sent to carry out terror attacks in the East African country.

Police have placed a bounty of two million Kenyan shillings (roughly $19,230) on their heads.

At least 18 people in Kenya have been killed by the Somalia-based al-Qaeda affiliate in the past two weeks alone.

Police have identified the five Kenyan suspects as: Abdikadir Mohamed alias Ikrima; Gufu Tari Gufu; Mohammed Tajir Ali; Salad Tari Gufu; and Suleiman Irungu Mwangi.

The fresh attacks are supposedly in retaliation for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive on Monday calling on security forces not to arrest and jail militants but to shoot them on sight.

In a statement released on Wednesday, police warned that the militants’ relatives and a section of the local community are helping al-Shabaab sneak into the country.