Kenya: A soldier and six people killed at Nyali barracks

MOMBASA: A soldier and six youths killed in early morning attack at Nyali barracks, Mombasa when armed youths tried to gain access to the facility.

According to Department of Defense headquarters, the incident happened at about 5.30 am on Sunday.

Spokesman Col. David Obonyo said a gang of about 15 tried to forcefully gain entry into heavily fortified 17 Kenya Rifles barracks in Nyali, Mombasa when the incident happened.

“One of the attackers approached the sentry while armed with a panga and attacked a soldier before his colleagues followed him prompting the other soldiers to open fire,” said Col Obonyo.

The soldiers on sentry duties responded by killing five attackers on the spot as the rest of the gang disappeared in a nearby forest, said Col Obonyo.

He added soldiers pursued those who had escaped where they killed one more and arrested another.

“The one who was arrested is being interrogated by our personnel to know the motive but others managed to escape.

We do not know the motive of the incident,” he said. Col Obonyo said the men had head gears on them at the time of the attack and seem to be members of a criminal gang.

Following the incident, security chiefs in Mombasa rushed to the scene and later held a meeting at the barracks for hours.

The barracks’ location is difficult to access because of the roadblocks mounted there. It is not clear of members of Mombasa Republican Council were behind the incident.

The government has in the past days been claiming the group is regrouping and planning attacks.

It said the attempted entry into Nyali Barracks in Mombasa was a coordinated MRC attack driven by the global terrorist agenda.

Source: Standard