Shabaab militants claim responsibility for night massacre in Mandera

Hours after 36 miners at a quarry in Koromei, Mandera County were shot dead, Al-Shabaab came out to claim responsibility.

A statement sent to newsrooms said the attack was carried out by a unit from Nabhan brigade.

This, according to the group, was in response to Kenya’s alleged occupation of Muslim lands and alleged continued suffering of Muslims in Mombasa.

Spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage (pictured) said they will continue to fight and defend Muslim brethren suffering from Kenya’s aggression.

“In another successful operation carried out by the Mujahideen, nearly 40 Kenyan crusaders met their demise after a unit from the Saleh Nabhan brigade raided them,” the statement partly read.

The attackers separated Muslims from non-Muslims before shooting the latter dead, residents and police said.

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security shake-up

The victims were lined-up and shot in the head at close range. Others were shot in the legs after they allegedly tried flee.

Witnesses said the victims were sleeping in their tents when the terrorists struck.

On Monday night, masked men raided a bar in Wajir Town and killed one person and injured 13 others. The attack came days after Al-Shabaab killed 28 people in a bus attack in Mandera.

Calls for a security shake-up have intensified in recent days and this led to the resignation of David Kimaiyo as Inspector General of Police. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that he had accepted Kimaiyo's resignation.