Death toll rises to 20 in Tana Delta and Hindi attacks

Lorry torched at the Gamba police station    PHOTO/ STANDARD

By CYRUS OMBATI

Mombasa, Kenya: At least 18 people were killed in separate fresh attacks on Saturday night in Hindi and Tana Delta by unknown gunmen.

Police said heavily armed attackers struck Gamba police station in Garsen, Tana Delta County killing at least ten people before releasing a man believed to be a ringleader of the recent Mpeketoni attacks who was being held there.

Another group raided Hindi shopping centre and killed at least nine people and injured several others before torching houses.

Kenya Redcross said they had recovered nine bodies in the Hindi attack alone. In Gamba, police are among the dead and many other people are missing.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said the attacks seemed to be simultaneous.

“We have reports of at least 16 dead so far in the attacks and we have heavy presence of police there searching the attackers,” said Kimaiyo.

Several people were displaced in the incidents and trooped to police stations to seek shelter as Somalia's Al-Shabaab group issued a statement claiming that their fighters had carried out another attack in the area on Saturday.

"The attackers came back home safely to their base," Al-Shabaab military spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab said.

Police on the ground said the gang at Gamba killed the policeman on duty, before pulling out five people held in police cells and shooting them to death at close range.

They further pulled out other three civilians on a lorry, which had just arrived at the police station and killed them before disappearing into the bush. Gamba is located along the Lamu - Malindi highway towards Witu.

The attacks happened at about 10 pm.

Police said a separate gun attack happened at Hindi trading centre at the same time by unknown attackers that left at least nine people dead. The centre is located between Mpeketoni and Mokowe in Lamu County.

Tension remained high amid reports the attackers promised to come back for more pain and attacks.

The attacks happened weeks after similar ones were staged in Mpeketoni and Witu in which 65 people were killed. Although Kenyan political leaders blame the attacks on politics, the militants have claimed responsibility.