Terrorists kill 147 in Kenyan University.

AFP

No fewer than 147 people have been killed
after an Islamic group stormed a university in
eastern Kenya, the country’s interior minister
said.
This is just as the President of Nigeria,
Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack
and commiserated with the families of the
victims.
Sky News reports that two police officers are
among the dead following heavy gunfire and
explosions in a campus building at Garissa
University.
At least 79 others have been wounded.
Interior minister Joseph Nkaissery claimed the
siege was almost over.
“We are mopping up the area,” he told
reporters.
Somalia’s al Shabaab militant group has
claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack.
“We sorted people out and released the
Muslims,” said spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis
Abu Musab.
“There are many dead bodies of Christians
inside the building. We are also holding many
Christians alive. Fighting still goes on inside
the college,” he added.
Two of the militants have been killed and one
arrested as he tried to flee, according to
Kenya’s interior ministry.
The Red Cross counted 50 students that had
been safely freed, while the interior ministry
said 500 of 815 students had been accounted
for.
Student Michael Bwana, who managed to flee,
said most of the hostages were girls.
Kenya Police Chief Joseph Boinet told
reporters that gunmen forced their way into
the university at 5.30am by shooting at the
guards manning the main gate.
“The gunmen shot indiscriminately while inside
the university compound,” he said.
“Police… engaged the gunmen in a fierce
shootout; however, the attackers retreated and
gained entry into one of the hostels.”
A gunfight between security services and the
perpetrators lasted several hours, according to
the Red Cross.
The area has been sealed off and the army
called in to try and “flush out” the attackers.
Students reported seeing five masked
gunmen.
The authorities have offered a $215,000
(£145,000) reward for a man called Mohamed
Mohamud, who has been linked to the attack.
Collins Wetangula, the vice chairman of the
student union, said he was preparing to take a
shower when he heard gunshots coming from
a dorm.
“All I could hear were footsteps and gunshots;
nobody was screaming because they thought
this would lead the gunmen to know where
they are,” he said.
“The gunmen were saying sisi ni al-Shabab
(Swahili for we are al-Shabab).
“If you were a Christian you were shot on the
spot. With each blast of the gun I thought I
was going to die.”
Grace Kai, a student at a neighbouring
college, said there had been warnings of an
imminent attack.
“Some strangers had been spotted in Garissa
town and were suspected to be terrorists,”
she said.
“Then on Monday our college principal told
us… that strangers had been spotted in our
college. On Tuesday we were released to go
home, and our college closed, but the campus
remained in session, and now they have been
attacked.”
Kenya’s northern and eastern regions, which
border Somalia, have been most affected by
attacks blamed on al Shabaab Islamists from
Somalia.
The militants, who have links to al Qaeda,
have vowed to take retribution against Kenya
for sending its troops to Somalia.
Al Shabaab was responsible for the deadly
attack in 2013 on the Westgate shopping mall.
At least 67 people were killed when a group of
gunmen rampaged through the centre in
Nairobi.
On the latest raid, Kenya’s President Uhuru
Kenyatta said: “I extend condolences to the
families of those who have perished in this
attack. We continue to pray for the quick
recovery of the injured, and the safe rescue of
those held hostage.”
He added that 10,000 police recruits would be
fast-tracked following the attack.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan on
Thursday commiserated with the government
and people of Kenya as well the families of
those who died in the terrorist attack.
In a statement by his spokesman, Reuben
Abati, the President condemned what he
called deliberate targeting of innocent persons,
schools and other soft targets by terrorists.
He said such barbaric acts of violence ought
to have no place in any civilised society.
The statement added, “The President assures
President Uhuru Kenyatta and the brotherly
people of Kenya that Nigeria stands in full
solidarity with them as they come to grips
once again with the aftermath of another
heinous terrorist attack on their country.
“Nigeria, President Jonathan affirms, will
continue to work with Kenya, other African
countries and the international community to
rid the world of all terrorist groups.
“The President believes that the attack on the
Kenyan University and other similar atrocities
across the world must strengthen and solidify
the resolve of the global community to take
more urgent and co-ordinated actions to
speedily defeat the agents of global terror.”