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| Kenya hotel attack: Suspected al-Shabaab militants kill 48 people in Mpeketoni | Kenya hotel attack: Suspected al-Shabaab militants kill 48 people in Mpeketoni |
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| At least 48 people were killed in a small coastal town in Kenya on Sunday evening, after dozens of suspected Somali militants armed with automatic weapons attacked a police station and hotels, according to police. | At least 48 people were killed in a small coastal town in Kenya on Sunday evening, after dozens of suspected Somali militants armed with automatic weapons attacked a police station and hotels, according to police. |
| The men hijacked a van and used it to travel to targets including the police station in the town of Mpeketoni, local residents told BBC News. Witnesses said that the gunmen threw explosives into the station, before entering to steal weapons. | The men hijacked a van and used it to travel to targets including the police station in the town of Mpeketoni, local residents told BBC News. Witnesses said that the gunmen threw explosives into the station, before entering to steal weapons. |
| They then set two hotels on fire, and sprayed bullets into the streets during the incident that started at around 8pm local time, as residents watched Fifa World Cup matches on TV in the town around 30 miles (20km) southwest of the tourist resort of Lamu, and about 60 miles (100 km) from the Somali border. | They then set two hotels on fire, and sprayed bullets into the streets during the incident that started at around 8pm local time, as residents watched Fifa World Cup matches on TV in the town around 30 miles (20km) southwest of the tourist resort of Lamu, and about 60 miles (100 km) from the Somali border. |
| The attack reportedly met little resistance from Kenya’s security apparatus, and raged on until early Monday morning. | The attack reportedly met little resistance from Kenya’s security apparatus, and raged on until early Monday morning. |
| No group has yet claimed responsibility for the violence, but the authorities have blamed al-Shabaab – the al-Qaida linked terror group based in neighbouring Somalia. | |
| Kenya’s top commander David Kimaiyo confirmed the death toll on Monday. | Kenya’s top commander David Kimaiyo confirmed the death toll on Monday. |
| As residents watched football at the Breeze View Hotel, the attackers selected men to kill. The gunmen ordered the women to watch, telling them that this is what Kenyan troops do to Somali men in Somalia, according to a police commander speaking on a condition of anonymity. | As residents watched football at the Breeze View Hotel, the attackers selected men to kill. The gunmen ordered the women to watch, telling them that this is what Kenyan troops do to Somali men in Somalia, according to a police commander speaking on a condition of anonymity. |
| The Kenyan Interior Ministry confirmed that two minivans entered the town at about 8pm Sunday, from which militants disembarked and began shooting. Kenya's National Disaster Operations Center added that military surveillance planes were launched shortly afterwards. | The Kenyan Interior Ministry confirmed that two minivans entered the town at about 8pm Sunday, from which militants disembarked and began shooting. Kenya's National Disaster Operations Center added that military surveillance planes were launched shortly afterwards. |
| Kenya has experienced a wave of gunfire and explosive attacks in recent months. The US, UK, France, Australia, and Canada have all recently upgraded their terror threat warnings for the country, while US Marines are now stationed on the roof of the US Embassy in Nairobi. | Kenya has experienced a wave of gunfire and explosive attacks in recent months. The US, UK, France, Australia, and Canada have all recently upgraded their terror threat warnings for the country, while US Marines are now stationed on the roof of the US Embassy in Nairobi. |
| Lamu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the country's oldest continually inhabited town. The region saw a spate of kidnappings of foreign tourists in 2011 that Kenya said was part of its motivation for attacking Somalia. Since those attacks and subsequent terror warnings tourism has dropped off sharply around Lamu. | Lamu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the country's oldest continually inhabited town. The region saw a spate of kidnappings of foreign tourists in 2011 that Kenya said was part of its motivation for attacking Somalia. Since those attacks and subsequent terror warnings tourism has dropped off sharply around Lamu. |
| Al-Shabab has vowed to carry out terror attacks to avenge the Kenyan military presence in Somali which started in October 2011. At least 67 people were killed in September when four al-Shabab gunmen attacked an upscale mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. | Al-Shabab has vowed to carry out terror attacks to avenge the Kenyan military presence in Somali which started in October 2011. At least 67 people were killed in September when four al-Shabab gunmen attacked an upscale mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. |