Gunmen from the Islamist militant group al Shabaab stormed a university in Kenya and killed at least 147 people on Thursday, in the worst attack on Kenyan soil since the US embassy was bombed in 1998.
The siege ended nearly 15 hours after the Somali group’s gunmen shot their way into the Garissa University College campus, sparing Muslim students and taking many Christians hostage.
Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said four gunmen strapped with explosives were behind the attack.
“The operation has ended successfully. Four terrorists have been killed,” Nkaissery told Kenyan media.
At least 79 people were injured and many airlifted to Nairobi, Kenya’s national disaster body said.
Al Shabaab, who carried out the deadly attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi in 2013, claimed responsibility for the raid on the campus in Garissa, a town 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border.
Eyewitness Account
We heard some gunshots and we were sleeping so it was around five and guys started jumping up and down running for their lives.
– Student who witnessed the attack
Some strangers had been spotted in Garissa town and were suspected to be terrorists. Then on Monday our college principal told us ... that strangers had been spotted in our college... On Tuesday we were released to go home, and our college closed, but the campus remained in session, and now they have been attacked.
– Grace Kai, Student at the Garissa Teachers Training College
Authorities offered a $ 2,15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man called Mohamed Mohamud, described as “most wanted” and linked to the attack.
Police chief Boinet said Kenya had imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on four regions near the Somalian border.
Thursday’s attack undermined a renewed drive by President Uhuru Kenyatta to persuade foreigners the country is now safe to visit.
Many Kenyans living in the crime-ridden frontier regions blame the government for not doing enough to protect its citizens from the militants.
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