Somalia hands over two al-Shabaab militants to Kenya

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Two members of the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab militant group suspected of carrying out an Oct. 12 roadside bombing in northern Kenya that killed 11 police officers are in Kenyan custody.

Police in Kenya confirmed late Thursday that Somalia had handed over the two men following their arrest.

North Eastern Police Commander Paul Soi told local media that they were arrested with firearms and investigations are ongoing.

Kenya's local media also reported that the men -- Farah Ahmed Sanbul and Mihat Daar Khalif -- were found in possession of an AK-47 rifle that belongs to the Kenyan police which is suspected to have been stolen from one of the slain officers.

Turkey through its Foreign Ministry was the only country that extended an official message of condolence to Kenya over the roadside bombing.

In June, 12 border police officers were killed in a similar attack close to where the latest one occurred.

In recent years, more than 100 Kenyan police have been killed in a similar manner along the porous Kenya-Somali border.