Teen attackers shot and distributed hate leaflets, says Likoni survivor

MOMBASA COUNTY: The gang that attacked crowds at Likoni in Mombasa on Sunday was composed of teenagers who hurled petrol bombs and conversed casually as they shot indiscriminately, a witness has claimed.

Besides shooting, they handed out hate leaflets to terrified residents, in what police claim was a diversionary tactic by the attackers.

David Oruko who had just come from work at around 8:15pm heard shots and saw people running when he was alerted that there was a gang attack on Soweto. Residents said nothing was stolen during the attack.

“At first I thought they were fireworks as Diwali and Ramadhan season are approaching but I noticed some people were running and that is when I took cover in a nearby bush,” said Oruko.

He said from the bush he saw four heavily armed men shooting at people who were running to take cover in their homes. Residents claim four people were killed but the police insist only three died.

By the time of going to press, police, who had launched a manhunt for the attackers, had arrested a couple of people. Human rights bodies including Muslims for Human Rights condemned the killings, saying the latest incident could have been avoided had the Government taken the insecurity incidence in the South Coast seriously.