Attackers flying flags of Somalia’s al-Shabaab carry out deadliest attack on Kenyan soil since Westgate mall, targeting hotels and businesses.
UK Telegraph (h/t Maria J) Gunmen flying the flag of Somalia’s al-Qaeda affiliate roared into a Kenyan coastal town and opened fire indiscriminately on pedestrians, shop-owners and people watching the World Cup, leaving at least 48 people dead.
Two banks, government buildings and a dozen vehicles were set alight as the Islamist attackers worked their way through the town of Mpeketoni, close to Lamu island, until Kenyan forces repelled them hours later.
It was the boldest raid inside Kenya blamed on al-Shabaab since the terror strike against the Westgate Shopping Centre in the capital, Nairobi, last September, when more than 70 people died.
Britain has advised tourists to avoid areas of Kenya’s coast south of where the attack took place, including Mombasa island. Mpeketoni does not fall inside that alert zone, but is rarely visited by Western tourists.
Three minibus taxis carrying al-Shabaab’s black flag and full of armed men in balaclavas arrived soon after dark on Sunday night, shooting dead people walking on the roads leading into Mpeketoni before continuing into town and opening fire. Two workers’ hostels where people were watching Switzerland v Ecuador on bar-room televisions were amongst the first targets. Both buildings were set on fire and completely destroyed.
Richard Amana, a local politician, said that business properties appeared to have been targeted for destruction. Benson Maisori, the area’s deputy commissioner, said: “We have been told witnesses heard the attackers shouting Allahu akbar and about jihad as they moved through the town. This is al-Shabaab’s work”.
KingoftheTeddybears says
look at those fools
dragonfFIRE01 says
religion of pieces is at ti again
ICE says
Stop all foreign aid to any mohommedist country.
dragonfFIRE01 says
got that right save us a hell of a lot of money
Susan K says
They’re all over the place. Allah is killing and destroying everything is sight. What a peaceful ‘god’ that is !
dragonfFIRE01 says
yep and an exhausted obama goes golfing and goes to a fundraiser and says global warming is far more dangerous he is so out there he is way past Pluto
Linda Rivera says
Western leaders must stop their profound evil of financing the PLO/Palestinian Authority (which now includes Hamas) Muslim Terrorist Occupation Forces. Stop financing, arming and training them. All the advanced U.S. military training they are continually given is used against Israel’s Jewish infidels.
Give weapons and training instead to Christians and other non-muslims who are constantly attacked by the rabid followers of the Blood Cult of Mohammad.