Mandera, Jun 23 (IANS): A Kenyan police reservist was killed and two others injured when suspected Shabab militants struck for the third day running here, in northeast Kenya, early Wednesday.

Northeastern regional police commander Rono Bunei said the attack happened at a construction site where the militants also burnt down two tractors and an excavator, Xinhua reported.

The reservists tried to fight off the armed attackers, who were suspected to have crossed into Kenya from neighboring Somalia, Bunei said.

A rise in terror attacks in the region has grounded many operations in the expansive Mandera county over the last two weeks. At least 15 people were killed and several others injured in the attacks that were mainly blamed on Somalia-based al-Shabab.

The region has born the brunt of grenade and gun attacks in the last several years since Kenya took its troops to Somalia to join the fight against the militant group.