Suggested Reading: The Muslim Times’ Collection on Islam’s Condemnation of Terrorism
Story highlights
- Fifteen people are dead and 550 people are still unaccounted for, officials say
- Witness: Gunmen “proceeded to the hostels, shooting anybody they came across except their fellows, the Muslims”
- One terrorist was arrested as he tried to slip away, officials said, according to Citizen TV
(CNN) Latest developments:
• 9:56 a.m. ET: Kenya has posted a “Most Wanted” notice for a man in connection with Thursday’s Garissa University attack. The notice lists a reward of 20 million Kenyan shillings, which is approximately $215,000 U.S. His name is listed as Mohamed Mohamud.
• 9:46 a.m. ET: All staff members Garissa University College are accounted for “and are helping with the tracking of students,” the Kenya National Disaster Operation Center says.
• 9 a.m. ET: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta calls for 10,000 police recruits to report to police college.
• 8 a.m. ET: At least 15 people have been killed by gunmen who attacked a Kenyan university Thursday, the Kenyan Interior Ministry said. As many as 550 others are unaccounted for at the campus that had about 815 students, according to CNN affiliate Citizen TV. The Kenyan Red Cross said at least 50 students have been freed.
Full story:
A swarm of gunmen stormed a Kenya university before dawn Thursday, opening fire and taking hostages.
At least 15 people were killed at Garissa University College, the Kenyan Interior Ministry said. As many as 550 others are unaccounted for at the campus that had about 815 students, according to CNN affiliate Citizen TV.
All staff members are accounted for “and are helping with the tracking of students,” the Kenya National Disaster Operation Center said on Twitter.
The Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militant group claimed responsibility for the assault.
Gunmen burst into early morning Christian prayers, said Joel Ayora, who was on the campus and witnessed the attack. Taking hostages from the service, the gunmen then “proceeded to the hostels, shooting anybody they came across except their fellows, the Muslims.”
The attackers separated students by religion, allowing Muslims to leave and keeping an unknown number of Christians hostage, Agence France-Press reported.
“We were sleeping when we heard a loud explosion that was followed by gunshots and everyone started running for safety,” said student Japhet Mwala.
“There are those who were not able to leave the hostels where the gunmen headed and started firing. I am lucky to be alive because I jumped through the fence with other students.”
Eventually, as many as 50 students were freed, and at least 65 people were hospitalized from the attack, the Kenyan Red Cross said.
Nine hours after the attack began, heavy gunfire and explosions continued, said Dennis Okari of CNN affiliate NTV.
Categories: Africa, The Muslim Times
Quoting Guardian UK
Masked gunmen from Somalia’s al-Shabaab movement claim to be holding an unknown number of Kenyan Christians hostage after a dawn raid on a university compound that left at least 15 people dead.
Live/ Al-Shabaab seize hostages in standoff at Kenya college – live updates
Witnesses said attackers shot indiscriminately at students and teachers who had been woken up by the mayhem
The attackers stormed into the university shortly after 5am in the town of Garissa, about 90 miles from the volatile border with Somalia. Kenya’s national disaster operations centre said 280 of the university’s 815 students were accounted for but did not say how many it believed to be still inside.
The gunmen were in one of four residential buildings, the interior ministry said.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/02/masked-gunmen-attack-university-in-eastern-kenya