At least 39 people are reported to be dead and more than 150 injured as a gun fight continues between police and armed men at a shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
One witness claimed gunmen told Muslims to stand up and leave and that only non-Muslims would be targeted when they opened fire at the upmarket mall of the Westlands district around midday yesterday.
The victims were wheeled out on stretchers and in shopping trolleys by security guards, while others were seen walking out of the building, clutching bloodied clothing around their injuries.
Locals and tourists who were out shopping on the sunny Saturday in Kenya ran screaming from the building and cars were left abandoned as attackers threw grenades and fired AK47s.
The Somali militant group al-Shabaab had earlier threatened to strike the mall, as it is a popular destination for the city’s expatriate community.
The terrorists stormed the Westgate Mall and sprayed shoppers with bullets. Witnesses said the attackers told all Muslims to leave as they were only after non-Muslims.
Continue reading after the cut...
Those shoppers who tried to leave were asked by the terrorists to name the Prophet Mohammed’s mother. If they failed to give her correct name of Amina they were shot dead, said one eye witness.
After Muslim shoppers had left the mall, the terrorists reportedly threw grenades and fired AK-47s.
Last night, the Somali terrorist group Al Shabab, which is linked to Al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attacks, and said the atrocity was revenge for the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia.
According to the website Slate, the terrorists had been Tweeting progress while it carried out its attack.
Al Shabab said on Twitter: ‘The message we are sending to the Kenyan govt & Public is and has always been just one: remove all your forces from our country.’
_______________________________
This is very sad!
Share your thoughts...thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment