Geza Ulole
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- Oct 31, 2009
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Six killed in suspected Shabaab attack in northeast Kenya
IN SUMMARY
Six people were killed in a suspected attack by Shabaab militants on a residential compound in the restive northeastern Kenyan town of Mandera, police and local authorities said Thursday.
The attack targeted a gated residential building which mainly housed non-ethnic Somalis and non-Muslims, less than a kilometre from the volatile Somalia border town of Beled Hawa.
"We have suffered yet another attack in Mandera and sadly we have lost six people," Governor Ali Roba said.
"Out of 33 non-locals residing in one plot, six were shot dead and 27 rescued by our security officers manning the sector," Mr Roba told the Nation.
The attack took place in the early hours of the morning at around 2.45am (2345 GMT).
Security official Mohamud Ali Saleh said the attackers used explosives to gain access to the fortified building.
"We highly suspect the attackers are members of the Shabaab insurgent group, who have sneaked across the porous border," he said.
"These criminal gangs are desperate to hurt innocent Kenyans since they were defeated badly and routed out of all their hideouts in the neighbouring country."
David Kimani, a survivor, searches for his belongings in one of rooms attacked by the Al-Shabaab in Mandera. He said he hung on the ceiling until the militants left the room. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
There was an explosion as police attempted to get into the building to retrieve the bodies, ripping off one of the roof tops.
There were no injuries from the explosion.
Police said landmines planted in compound were delaying their attempts to retrieve the dead. Bomb experts were expected to detonate the explosives.
Ambushes
Several bus ambushes in the region have seen gunmen separate passengers by religion, killing non-Muslims.
The Shabaab has fought to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu since 2007, but turned its sights on Kenya when the army was sent into Somalia in 2011 to fight the Islamic insurgents.
Since then the Shabaab has carried out frequent attacks on civilians in different parts of Kenya, including a Nairobi mall, a northeastern university and coastal villages.
Back to The East African: Six killed in suspected Shabaab attack in northeast Kenya
Six killed in suspected Shabaab attack in northeast Kenya
- The attack targeted a gated residential building which mainly housed non-ethnic Somalis and non-Muslims, less than a kilometre from the volatile Somalia border town of Beled Hawa.
Six people were killed in a suspected attack by Shabaab militants on a residential compound in the restive northeastern Kenyan town of Mandera, police and local authorities said Thursday.
The attack targeted a gated residential building which mainly housed non-ethnic Somalis and non-Muslims, less than a kilometre from the volatile Somalia border town of Beled Hawa.
"We have suffered yet another attack in Mandera and sadly we have lost six people," Governor Ali Roba said.
"Out of 33 non-locals residing in one plot, six were shot dead and 27 rescued by our security officers manning the sector," Mr Roba told the Nation.
The attack took place in the early hours of the morning at around 2.45am (2345 GMT).
Security official Mohamud Ali Saleh said the attackers used explosives to gain access to the fortified building.
"We highly suspect the attackers are members of the Shabaab insurgent group, who have sneaked across the porous border," he said.
"These criminal gangs are desperate to hurt innocent Kenyans since they were defeated badly and routed out of all their hideouts in the neighbouring country."
David Kimani, a survivor, searches for his belongings in one of rooms attacked by the Al-Shabaab in Mandera. He said he hung on the ceiling until the militants left the room. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
There was an explosion as police attempted to get into the building to retrieve the bodies, ripping off one of the roof tops.
There were no injuries from the explosion.
Police said landmines planted in compound were delaying their attempts to retrieve the dead. Bomb experts were expected to detonate the explosives.
Ambushes
Several bus ambushes in the region have seen gunmen separate passengers by religion, killing non-Muslims.
The Shabaab has fought to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu since 2007, but turned its sights on Kenya when the army was sent into Somalia in 2011 to fight the Islamic insurgents.
Since then the Shabaab has carried out frequent attacks on civilians in different parts of Kenya, including a Nairobi mall, a northeastern university and coastal villages.
Back to The East African: Six killed in suspected Shabaab attack in northeast Kenya
Six killed in suspected Shabaab attack in northeast Kenya