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Al-Shabaab gunmen killed around 25 Kenyan police on Monday, ambushing some officers in a village in the east of the country after others died when their vehicle hit a landmine planted by the militants.

The Islamist group also burnt five vehicles in the two incidents.

"We took all their weapons. There were some Kenyan forces that escaped in the course of the ambush fighting," he said.

Some 20 police died in the ambush, which occurred in Monday evening in Yumbis village, 45 miles north of the town of Garissa, the Standard and Daily Nation newspapers said.

Police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi confirmed there had been an attack in Yumbis. Other government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Al Shabaab, which has carried out several at