Three police officers were killed by a roadside bomb in northern Kenya on Wednesday, police said.

The officers’ Toyota Land Cruiser is believed to have hit a device planted by suspected al-Shabaab militants, a senior police officer based on the border told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Eight people were also injured in the incident in Liboi town, which lies around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Somali border in Garissa County.

The officer who spoke to Anadolu Agency said the casualties had recently been posted to the area.

“The officers who were killed and those who were injured are part of a team sent here to heighten security after two similar attacks in the past weeks claimed the lives of Kenyan police officers,” the officer said.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet confirmed the details of the attack.

Hours earlier, police had issued a terror alert for northern Kenya and said al-Shabaab militants had to split into small groups to carry out bomb attacks along routes used by police patrols.

The attack takes the toll of police officers killed in similar border attacks in northern Kenya this month to 10.

In previous years, al-Shabaab has increased its level of attacks in Kenya and Somalia during Ramadan, which starts Friday. (Anadolu)