By Katy Migiro

Nairobi, June 14, 2007 – The bodies of two Kenyan policemen who disappeared while patrolling the Kenya-Somali border Sunday have been found. For VOA, Katy Migiro reports, the officers are suspected to have been killed by Somali Islamists.  

After a massive search operation, the bodies of the two murdered Kenyan police officers were found on a hill 500 meters from the Kenya-Somali border, 12 kilometers from Mandera police station where they were based.

Victor Obure, a local reporter with the East African Standard in North Eastern Province, says it appears that the officers were murdered in Somalia and their bodies were then dumped in Kenya.

"It is suspected that they might have been killed on the Somali side and then they brought the bodies and dumped them at the spot," he said.   "Because even the foot marks of the suspected killers led towards the Somali side of the border."

Obure says the men appear to have been shot several days ago.

"The bodies were sprayed with bullets and partly mutilated and it is believed they died some four days ago because they were actually partially decomposed," he added.

Tensions are running high along the Kenya-Somali border. Scores of suspected Somali Islamists were arrested at the border in January as they fled advancing Somali and Ethiopian troops who ousted them from power.

Kenya angered the Islamists by handing the arrested men over to Somali and Ethiopian government intelligence agencies for interrogation.

The Kenyan police issued a statement confirming the discovery of the officers' bodies. Their names will be released once their families have been contacted.

Source: VOA News