SAS member ‘helped secure Kenyan hotel from militants’
Extremist group’s attack at luxury hotel killed 14
A MEMBER of the SAS is believed to have helped secure a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi after 14 people including a British man were killed in a militant attack.
Another Briton was wounded as gunmen stormed the DusitD2 complex in the Westlands district of the Kenyan capital on Tuesday afternoon, setting off explosions and shooting people.
Announcing the end of the operation to secure the area on Wednesday, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta said: “All the terrorists have been eliminated.”
It is understood a member of the SAS was involved in the mission, although the MoD said it does not comment on special forces.
Images showed a heavilyarmed man with a military vest and balaclava working with local forces and helping victims leave the complex.
It was reported the lone SAS member was involved in the operation, along with US Navy seals, having been in the country to train Kenyan Special Forces.
In a video posted on Twitter, the UK High Commissioner to Kenya, Nic Hailey, confirmed that at least one British national was killed in the attack.
He was named as Luke Potter who worked for Gatsby, an international development charity.
In a statement, Gatsby said it was “shocked and saddened”.
In a statement, Gatsby Africa said Mr Potter had “devoted the past 10 years of his career to helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world” and had worked with the charity for more than three years, carrying out assignments across East Africa. Luke was respected by all he worked with, bringing huge drive, determination, a relentless work ethic, and a thirst for new ideas to every project.”
KENYA’S SECURITY forces have killed the Islamic extremist gunmen whose assault on a luxury hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi took 14 innocent lives, President Uhuru Kenyatta said.
Announcing the end of the operation to secure the DusitD2 complex in the capital, Mr Kenyatta said: “All the terrorists have been eliminated.”
In a televised address, Mr Kenyatta did not say how many attackers were involved.
He said more than 700 people were evacuated during the operation and he urged Kenyans to “go back to work without fear”, saying the East African country is safe for citizens and visitors.
Hours before Mr Kenyatta spoke, sporadic gunfire could be heard from the scene after scores of people were rescued at daybreak during what police called a mopping-up exercise.
The attack involved at least four armed men who invaded the hotel and shops.
Al-Shabab – the Somalia-based extremist group that is allied to al Qaida – claimed responsibility for the carnage at the DusitD2 complex, which includes bars, restaurants, offices and banks. It is situated in Nairobi’s well-to-do Westlands neighbourhood, popular with many foreign expatriates. Al-Shabab carried out the 2013 attack at the nearby Westgate Mall that killed 67 people.
The British high commissioner in Kenya said at least one British national, named as Luke Potter, had been killed.
London-based company Adam Smith International also said two of its employees were killed in the attack.
Abdalla Dahir and Feisal Ahmed were killed on the terrace of a restaurant in the complex where the company has Nairobi offices, the company said in a statement.
Some 50 staff and consultants were safely evacuated, it added.
The statement said both had been working on the Somalia Stability Fund managed by the company to “bring peace and prosperity to Somalia through
All the terrorists have been eliminated. Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.
more than 100 local community initiatives”.
San Francisco-based company I-DEV International said American Jason Spindler was killed in the incident.
Mr Spindler was the co-founder and managing director of IDEV.
The company said nine others in its Nairobi office were safely evacuated.
Authorities sent special forces into the hotel to flush out the gunmen. Early yesterday, Kenya’s interior ministry said in a tweet that all buildings had been secured and there was no further threat. However, at dawn, another explosion and gunfire was heard.
Kenya’s Citizen TV aired security camera footage that showed at least four heavily armed men in dark-coloured, paramilitarystyle gear.
Kenya’s national police chief, Joseph Boinnet, said the coordinated 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. Hospitals appealed for blood donations even as the number of wounded remained unclear.
Video footage from inside the hotel showed Kenyan security officers searching the building while gunfire could still be heard.