Al-shabab kills over 70 in kenyan university

At least 70 people have been murdered by al-Shabaab terrorists after this morning's raid on Garissa University, the interior ministry has confirmed.  

The group raided the Garissa University campus shortly after 5am local time, overwhelming guards and shooting and beheading people they suspected of being a Christian.

Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery confirmed that 90 per cent of the terrorist threat had been eliminated, although 315 of the hostages are still unaccounted for. Four of the gunmen were killed by security forces.

One Kenyan policeman at the scene of the attack said six al-Shabaab fighters, from the original 10 that stormed the university campus, remain holed up inside, along with about 100 student hostages. 

The remaining terrorists have been cornered in one of the four remaining dormitories according to Kenyan security officials. A major operation has been launched in a bid to free the remaining hostages and 'neutralise' the terrorists. As well as the 70 fatalities, a further 79 people have been wounded. The attack is believed to be the worst terrorist attack on Kenyan soil since the bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi in 1998 which killed more than 200 people.  The terrorists stuck mid-way through Holy Week, the most solemn period in the Christian calendar. Tonight, the Christian students were planning to celebrate the Last Supper in preparation tomorrow for Good Friday.

 

Kenyan security officials said one of the terrorists was arrested after he tried to escape the compound. A further two terrorists have been 'neutralised' according to the Interior Ministry, which they later clarified as military speak for 'killed'.

They have also offered a $220,000 bounty for Mohammed Mohamud, known as Dulyadin, alias Gamadhere, who they suspect of masterminding the attack.

Kenyan intelligence officials believe that Mohamud is in charge of al-Shabaab's external operations against the country.

He is believed to have spent time teaching in a hard-line madrassa before becoming a senior member of the Somali terror organisation. 

He claimed responsiblity for an earlier attack in Makka, Kenya, on November 22, 2014, when 28 people were murdered.

Kenyan police chief Joseph Boinet announced that a curfew had been introduced a=from dusk to dawn - 6.30pm to 6.30am - for four regions near the Somalia border as a security precaution

Student Omar Ibrahim told News24 Kenya: 'I was in a group that was saved by the KDF (Kenya Defence Forces) just after 1pm. 

'We saw many many bodies, some did not have heads. I don't know why someone would do such a thing.'

Eye-witness Collins Wetangula, the vice chairman of the student union, said he was preparing to take a shower when he heard gunshots coming from Tana dorm, which hosts both men and women, 150 yards away.

The campus has six dormitories and at least 887 students, he said.

He said that when he heard the gunshots he locked himself and three roommates in their room. 'All I could hear were footsteps and gunshots, nobody was screaming because they thought this would lead the gunmen to know where they are.

'The gunmen were saying sisi ni al-Shabaab (Swaihi for we are al-Shabaab).' 

Mr Wetangula said he could hear the gunmen interrogating fellow students hiding inside their rooms about their religion.