By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least eight persons have been killed after a helicopter belonging to the Kenyan military crashed near the border with Somalia, an official said Tuesday.
Kenyan security forces operate in the area as part of its fight against al-Qaida-linked extremists the al-Shabab group, a group based across the border in Somalia.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash in the county of Lamu in coastal Kenya, a report by AP says.
The Department of Defence said the Air Force helicopter crashed while on night patrol, adding that a board of inquiry has been sent to the scene.
All military personnel and crew on board the helicopter died, a source within the military said while pleading anonymity.
Kenyan troops are also in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia to help in fighting al-Shabab.
The AU has perfected plans to withdraw the multinational forces as Somali troops take over responsibility for their country’s security, a withdrawal that has entered its second phase.
