NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan officials say al-Shabab extremists from neighboring Somalia have beheaded nine civilians in an attack on a village in the southeast.

James Ole Serian, who leads a task force of security agencies combating al-Shabab, says the attack early Saturday morning occurred in Jima village in Lamu County. Beheadings by al-Shabab in Kenya have been rare.

The attack occurred in the same area where al-Shabab engaged security agencies in a day-long battle three days ago.

Al-Shabab has vowed retribution on Kenya for sending troops in 2011 to Somalia to fight the extremist group, which last year became the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa.

The group in recent months has increased attacks with homemade bombs, killing at least 46 in Lamu and Mandera Counties.