Gunmen Kill At Least 10 In Eastern Kenya Town Of Garissa
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/04/gunmen-kill-at-least-10-in-eastern.html
Gunmen in the volatile eastern Kenya town of Garissa on Thursday night shot and killed at least ten people, police said.
"The death toll has now reached ten people. Some others died in hospital while undergoing treatment," a police officer told AFP updating an earlier toll of six dead, adding that a security operation was underway to track the attackers.
Five other people remained hospitalised from the 8 pm (1700 GMT) attack that saw an unknown number of armed men walk into a local hotel and open fire indiscriminately at the patrons, with what witnesses at the scene said were AK-47 rifles.
The Kenya Red Cross, in a statement, said that those in hospital had gunshot wounds.
Regional police chief Charlton Mureithi confirmed the incident but could not give more details.
Guns are common in the impoverished northeastern region, which hosts more than 500,000 Somali refugees.
Kenya has been hit by a wave of grenade and gun attacks -- often blamed on sympathisers of Somalia's Shebab Islamist fighters -- since its army went into Somalia last year to flush out the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.
In January, four people were reported killed and six seriously wounded when gunmen attacked another hotel in the town.
The Shebab has never claimed responsibility for these attacks.
Garissa has been one of the flashpoints since Kenya's army entered Somalia.
Five other people remained hospitalised from the 8 pm (1700 GMT) attack that saw an unknown number of armed men walk into a local hotel and open fire indiscriminately at the patrons, with what witnesses at the scene said were AK-47 rifles.
The Kenya Red Cross, in a statement, said that those in hospital had gunshot wounds.
Regional police chief Charlton Mureithi confirmed the incident but could not give more details.
Guns are common in the impoverished northeastern region, which hosts more than 500,000 Somali refugees.
Kenya has been hit by a wave of grenade and gun attacks -- often blamed on sympathisers of Somalia's Shebab Islamist fighters -- since its army went into Somalia last year to flush out the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.
In January, four people were reported killed and six seriously wounded when gunmen attacked another hotel in the town.
The Shebab has never claimed responsibility for these attacks.
Garissa has been one of the flashpoints since Kenya's army entered Somalia.
