Death toll in Garissa gun attack rises to 10
The death toll from a terror attack in Garissa on Thursday night rose to 10 Friday as MPs from the area told the Press at Parliament Buildings the government needs to act now with Fafi MP Bare Shill challenging the government not to ignore the state of security in the region. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- The dead were identified as Antony Gitau, Jagerland Mulu, Samuel Kaheu, Daudi Mwaniki, John Maniu while the rest were only identified as Kingori, Moses, Fredrick and Michael. The 10th victim, who succumbed to injuries last night, was not identified at the time of going to press.
The death toll from a terror attack in Garissa on Thursday night rose to 10 Friday.
Witnesses and survivors said the attackers wore red jackets and shot into the popular eatery in the centre of the town using AK47 rifles.
The dead were identified as Antony Gitau, Jagerland Mulu, Samuel Kaheu, Daudi Mwaniki, John Maniu while the rest were only identified as Kingori, Moses, Fredrick and Michael. The 10th victim, who succumbed to injuries last night, was not identified at the time of going to press.
The attack took place at 8 pm and the victims were all men and non-Somalis.
The attackers also hurled grenades into the place as two others with pistols stood guard outside the building.
Friday tension was high in the town as businesses remain closed while residents were in a state of terror.
Mr Thomas Ambale, who suffered two bullet wounds on his arm, said he was paying the cashier when gunshots ensued and he felt a sharp pain in the arm. “I then saw bodies lying in pools of blood.”
Garissa Hospital superintendent Dr Musa Mohamed said the survivors were in a stable condition.
Garissa police chief George Losku could not be reached for comment.
Sources within the Garissa police said a massive operation was underway and several arrests made.
Thursday night’s attack at “Kwa Chege Holiday Inn” was the second on the eatery since a spate of terror attacks in Garissa began. Last year, six people were killed and dozens injured after a grenade attack by masked gunmen.
The attacks have been blamed on youth who were recruited into the forces of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.
The attacks started after the Kenya Defence Forces began pursuing terror group Al-Shabaab in Somalia in October 2011.
Friday MPs from Garissa told the Press at Parliament Buildings the government needs to act now with Fafi MP Bare Shill saying: “The government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this deterioration of security. We need the security chiefs moved.”
Lagdera MP Mohammed Shidiye said Garissa town was now more insecure than Mogadishu. “We have sent our troops to Somalia but our own people get killed each day in Garissa. The county is so insecure that we (MPs) fear for our lives when we go there,” Mr Shidiye
Present were Mr Abdikadir Omar (Balambala), Mr Mohammed Dahir (Dadaab), Mr Abdulaziz Farah (Mandera East) and the county women’s representative Shukra Hussein.
