Monday, June 16, 2014
At least 48 people were killed overnight when suspected Shabaab militants attacked hotels, restaurants and government offices in a Kenyan coastal town, officials said.
On Monday, Mr Mwenda Njoka, the director of Communications at the Interior Ministry, confirmed that the number of bodies retrieved is now at 48.
Heavily armed gunmen stormed into the town of Mpeketoni, near the coastal island and popular tourist resort of Lamu, late on Sunday.
District deputy commissioner Benson Maisori said several buildings including hotels, restaurants, banks and government offices were burned down.
“There were around 50 attackers, heavily armed in three vehicles, and they were flying the Shabaab flag. They were shouting in Somali and shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is Greatest’),” he said.
Fierce gun battles began Sunday evening and continued into the early hours of Monday morning, but by dawn, the town of Mpeketoni was reported calm.
VOWED REVENGE
The Kenyan Red Cross had earlier indicated that the death toll was at 34.
“Our officers are still combing the area,” Kenyan police chief David Kimaiyo also told AFP.
“We suspect the involvement of Al-Shabaab in this attack. We are appealing for calm as we do our best the search for the attackers. It is a very unfortunate incident.”
Kenyan troops crossed into southern Somalia in 2011 to fight the Shebab, later joining the now 22,000-strong African Union force battling the Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
The Shabaab vowed revenge, carrying out a string of attacks on Kenyan soil, including last September’s assault on Nairobi’s Westgate mall in which at least 67 people were killed.
The town of Mpeketoni, a trading centre on the main coastal road, lies on the mainland some 30 kilometres (20 miles) southwest of Lamu island, a popular tourist destination whose ancient architecture is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
Cafes and bars were reportedly packed with people watching the World Cup on television when the gunmen attacked.
- See more at: http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2014/Jun/55225/suspected_al_shabaab_militants_attack_lamu_s_mpeketoni_town_death_toll_at_48.aspx#sthash.Ri7pTdrR.dpuf