Gunmen stormed a Kenyan college campus in the north eastern town of Garissa in the early hours of Thursday morning, setting off explosions and exchanging gunfire with security services for several hours, Kenyan media and Red Cross said.
Somalian terrorist group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Kenyan security officials at the scene of an attack by Islamic extremists on a college in northeast Kenya say the security operation to free hostages is over and that the death toll may be as high as around 150. Dozens of hostages were freed, they said, with four of the gunmen killed. The gunfire has ended, according to Associated Press reporters near the scene.
Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said gave the death at 70 but conceded that it could go higher. Police officials who could insisted on anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with the press said the toll could be as high as about 150
One Kenyan police source said there were 147 dead and another police source said 160. A third source put the death toll at around 80 but said there were so many bodies that he could not do a proper count as night fell with no electrical power to light the scene.
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