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At least four people were killed, including a senior police officer, and six seriously wounded when gunmen attacked a restaurant in Garissa on Wednesday (January 16th).

"Four people died on the spot, while six others were rushed to the hospital," Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Maalim told AFP. "The attackers stormed the restaurant where patrons were having dinner or chatting and opened fire indiscriminately and then ran away."

Garissa deputy prison chief Allan Njagi was among the dead, Kenya's The Standard reported.

Police suspect al-Shabaab sympathisers in Garissa of carrying out this and other recent attacks, although the militant group has not claimed responsibility. The group has, however, offered a large bounty for the killing of Kenyan security officers in an attempt to recruit more Kenyan youth.

No arrests have yet been made in relation to the incident, said newly appointed area police chief Charlton Mureithi.

Two suspected suicide bombers were also killed Thursday morning in nearby Hagadera camp in Dadaab refugee complex when their explosives went off while being handled, he said.

Mureithi said he suspects the explosives were to be planted on roads to target security forces.

Garissa and its environs have been beset by numerous incidents of violence, including grenade attacks and shootings in recent months.