Militants attack luxury hotel
Extremists stormed a luxury hotel in Kenya’s capital yesterday, setting off thunderous explosions and gunning down people at cafe tables in an attack claimed by Africa’s deadliest Islamist militant group. A police officer said at least 15 people had died.
‘‘It is terrible. What I have seen is terrible,’’ said Charles Njenga, who ran from a scene of blood, broken glass, burning vehicles and pillars of black smoke.
Al Shabaab – the Somaliabased group that carried out the 2013 attack at the nearby Westgate Mall in Nairobi that left 67 people dead – claimed responsibility for the carnage at the DusitD2 hotel complex, which includes bars, restaurants, offices and banks and is in a well-to-do neighbourhood with many American, European and Indian expatriates.
A Kenyan police officer said 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue. He spoke on condition of anonymity.
The United States State Department confirmed that an American citizen was among those killed, but did not release the victim’s identity.
Al Shabaab asserted that 47 people were killed but an online post by its Shahada news agency gave no details.
Kenyan authorities sent special forces into the hotel to flush out the gunmen. About eight hours after the siege began, and after scores of survivors who had been holed up in the complex overnight were freed, Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i said all of the buildings affected had been secured and that security forces were mopping up.
However, another explosion and gunfire were heard about a hour later.
Some family members said they had been in touch with loved ones still hiding inside the complex, waiting to be rescued.
Authorities did not say how many attackers there were – or what happened to them – though Kenya’s Citizen TV aired security camera footage that showed at least four heavily armed men in dark-coloured, paramilitary-style gear.
The co-ordinated assault began with an explosion that targeted three vehicles outside a bank, and a suicide bombing in the hotel lobby that severely wounded a number of guests, said Kenya’s national police chief, Joseph Boinnet.
Survivors reported hearing a shattering blast and saw people being mowed down by gunmen as they sat in a cafe.
Video from inside the hotel showed Kenyan security officers searching the building, and scared workers emerging from hiding while gunfire could still be heard. Some of those trapped climbed out a window by using a ladder.