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'Islamists' attack Kenyan coastal town 'Islamists' attack Kenyan coastal town
(35 minutes later)
At least 26 people have died after suspected Islamist militants attacked hotels and a police station in a Kenyan coastal town, police say.At least 26 people have died after suspected Islamist militants attacked hotels and a police station in a Kenyan coastal town, police say.
Witnesses in Mpeketoni said gun battles went on for several hours and reported seeing buildings set on fire.Witnesses in Mpeketoni said gun battles went on for several hours and reported seeing buildings set on fire.
The town is close to Lamu island, which is a well-known tourist resort.The town is close to Lamu island, which is a well-known tourist resort.
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. The BBC's Yusuf Dayo in Nairobi said the attack started at 20:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Sunday as locals were watching a football World Cup match on television.
It said local residents had fled to nearby forests. Local residents told the BBC that the attackers had hijacked a van and used it to attack various locations across the town.
The paper also quoted a witness as saying he had counted six bodies in the street, but this could not be confirmed. Witnesses said gunmen, who had their faces covered, threw explosives into the local police station before entering and stealing several weapons.
Van hijacked Al-Shabab attack?
Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said gunmen entered Mpeketoni, a busy trading centre, and started "shooting people". Local police chief Hamaton Mwaliko told Reuters that the gunmen set several hotels on fire after raiding the police station.
The "assailants [are] likely to be al-Shabab," Major Chirchir said. "We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them," Mr Mwaliko added.
He said surveillance aircraft were looking for the attackers. It is unclear who the gunmen are but Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the "assailants [are] likely to be al-Shabab."
Local police chief Hamaton Mwaliko told Reuters that the gunmen had hijacked a van in nearby Witu town to carry out the attack. He said surveillance aircraft had been dispatched to the region to help with the security operation.
"They raided Mpeketoni police station first," he said. Bozo Jenje, a journalist in Mombasa, told the BBC that residents had reported seeing bodies scattered across roads in the town.
"Some hotels in the town are on fire. We don't know how many casualties are there for now. We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them." He said Mpeketoni was a mainly Christian community.
Mwanaisha Hamisi, Kenyan Red Cross co-ordinator for the region, said gunfire was first reported at 20:30 local time (17:30 GMT).
Nearby Lamu island is a popular tourist destination with ancient architecture that is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.Nearby Lamu island is a popular tourist destination with ancient architecture that is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.