NAIROBI, Kenya — A Kenyan official says a message intercepted from the Somali Islamist extremist group al-Shabab shows that rebels are being offered up to $8,000 to kill Kenyan security officers.
Garissa County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed said Thursday the rewards are enough incentive to motivate some youths in the eastern Kenyan county to carry out attacks against Kenyan army and police.
The pay by al-Shabab varies with the security officer's rank.
Mohammed said local Somalis are responsible for recent attacks on Kenyan security forces that have caused the deaths of 10 police and four soldiers in northeastern Kenya.
Kenya has experienced a string of gun and grenade attacks since it sent troops into Somalia to pursue al-Shabab rebels.
An army sergeant on vacation was shot dead Sunday in Garissa by a lone gunman.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.