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| 'Islamists' attack Kenyan coastal town | 'Islamists' attack Kenyan coastal town |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Suspected Islamist militants have attacked hotels and a police station in the Kenyan coastal town of Mpeketoni, military officials say. | Suspected Islamist militants have attacked hotels and a police station in the Kenyan coastal town of Mpeketoni, military officials say. |
| Witnesses reported seeing buildings on fire and hearing gunfire in the town, which is near Lamu island. | |
| It is not yet clear if there are any casualties. | |
| Kenya has suffered a number of militant attacks since 2011 when its forces entered neighbouring Somalia to combat al-Shabab fighters. | Kenya has suffered a number of militant attacks since 2011 when its forces entered neighbouring Somalia to combat al-Shabab fighters. |
| Kenya's Standard newspaper said on its website the attackers had stolen weapons and vehicles from the police station, which was on fire. | |
| It said local residents had fled to nearby forests. | |
| The paper also quoted a witness as saying he had counted six bodies in the street, but this could not be confirmed. | |
| Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said gunmen entered Mpeketoni, a busy trading centre, and started "shooting people". | |
| The "assailants [are] likely to be al-Shabab," Major Chirchir said. | |
| He said surveillance aircraft were looking for the attackers. | |
| Nearby Lamu island is a popular tourist destination with ancient architecture that is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. |