Hostage siege under way at Kenya police station

Police surrounded the Kapenguria police station to bring the stand-off to an end, police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet said in a statement on Thursday, without giving any details about casualties.

Another police officer, who declined to be name, told the Reuters news agency that at least four officers were killed and that figure could rise.

He said the man was suspected of recruiting for Somali armed group al-Shabab.

Kenya's Nation news organisation reported that five police officers, including a senior officer, were are among the dead, quoting West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga.

Meanwhile, Kenyan television channel KTN said as many as six officers had died in the continuing stand-off in Kapenguria.

Al-Shabab has launched a series of attacks against Kenya in recent years, including using local recruits. The group says the attacks are aimed at driving Kenyan forces out of Somalia, where they are part of an African force fighting al-Shabab.

More than 100 al-Shabab members raided a police station in northeast Kenya last week, wounding one officer and making off with arms and ammunition.
Author : Al Jazeera