#NairobiAttack: Operation over, 14 killed-President Kenyatta

Kenyan security forces Wednesday morning concluded an overnight operation against Al-Shabab militants who were holed up in a hotel complex in Nairobi’s upscale area, the country’s president has said.

Addressing the nation at 10 am local time, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the elite forces killed the assailants who stormed the Dusit 2 Hotel Complex at about 3 pm local time Tuesday.

President Kenyatta also confirmed that 14 people had been killed in the attack which the al-Qaeda affiliate, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility. Kenyatta warned all those involved in the terrorist attack will be brought to book.

“We will seek out all those who were involved in the planning, funding and execution of this heinous act,” Kenyatta said noting all security measures will be put in placed to secure the country.

The elite paramilitary squad, Recce which was in charge of the operations felled five militants while one of them blew himself up during the Tuesday afternoon attack.

A waiter in the Dusit hotel told the local media he had identified one of the attackers since he had in the recent past visited the hotel. “I knew one of them because he had a big scar on one of his hands,” he said.

CCTV footage from the hotel showed four of the attackers entering the hotel after they detonated a bomb at the parking of a bank nearby.

Security forces said they rescued over 170 people over the night while some were still being rescued at morning break.

Goobjoog News