Kenya: Blast Kills Six in Nairobi Terror Attack
By NewswfromAfrica
Nairobi- At least six people were killed and dozens others wounded in twin blasts in California area in Eastleigh, Nairobi Monday night.
The attacks occurred at Sheraton Cafe and The New Kwa Muzairua Super Grill Centre cafe which are barely 300 metres apart along Eastleigh’s 11th Street at around 7.30pm when terrorists hurled.
Mr Patrick Gakuyu, the owner of Sheraton Café, recalls the moment when people were watching the evening news when he heard two explosions followed by complete darkness.
He said when he tried to flee from the scene, he discovered that the door had been locked from outside.
“When I finally managed to get outside, I saw six bodies,” he said. Mr Gakuyu said he suspect the explosions were caused by grenades thrown into the cafe.
Police said those who died were trapped in a food kiosk where they were for their supper. It is believed the attackers used grenades or Improvised Explosive Devices to launch the attacks.
Most of those injured in the three explosions, were taken to Mother and Child Hospital, Guru Nanak Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital, where 20 of the injured were admitted.
Nairobi County police commander Benson Kibue said initial reports indicated six people were killed and 11 others injured.
KNH chief executive Lily Koros appealed to Kenyans to donate blood to help the victims of the attacks.
On Sunday, a suspected terrorist died in the same estate after an explosive he was assembling went off. A grenade was also found in a church compound in Lamu on the same day.
Monday’s Eastleigh attack also follows the one that took place in Mombasa a fortnight ago in which six people were killed and scores injured after gunmen opened fire at worshippers at a church in Likoni.
Security has been heightened in different parts of the country recently following reports of planned terrorist attacks using vehicles laden with explosives.
Both covert and overt operations have been stepped up, especially in Nairobi and Mombasa, where Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku also directed that an additional 500 officers be deployed.
A Toyota truck seized in Mombasa with six bombs is believed to be one of the three “dirty bomb” vehicles.
The bombs, which were safely detonated, had enough power to bring down a multi-storey building and cause massive civilian casualties.
Both Kenyan and FBI agents are racing against time to locate and disable the bomb vehicles, also known as Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices.
Kenya last Tuesday restricted all refugees to two camps after a weekend attack on a church near Mombasa.