Kenya says kills over 100 attackers behind bus ambush that killed 28
Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:35pm GMT
* Kenyan forces pursued militants to camp in Somalia
* "We shall pursue you wherever you go," top official says
By George Obulutsa
NAIROBI, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Kenyan security forces have pursued and killed
more than 100 militants and destroyed their camp in Somalia after the ambush
of a Nairobi-bound bus that killed 28 people, Deputy President William Ruto
said on Sunday.
Somalia's Islamist al Shabaab militants have claimed responsibility for the
attack on Saturday, when gunmen ordered passengers on the bus to recite
Koran verses and shot dead non-Muslims - 19 men and nine women - who could
not.
The group said the killing outside Mandera, a town in the far northeast near
the Somali and Ethiopian borders, was in retaliation for raids on mosques in
the southern port city of Mombasa.
Kenyan police said on Saturday that security forces pursued the attackers as
they fled to Somalia after the ambush.
"Two successful operations were carried out against the perpetrators of
these murderous executions across the border. Our retaliatory action left in
its trail more than 100 fatalities," Ruto told a news conference in Nairobi.
Ruto said a camp used by the attackers and four "technicals" - pick-up
trucks mounted with guns - were also destroyed.
"Our message to them is clear - you may sneak and attack innocent civilians.
But for any attack on Kenya and its people, we shall pursue you wherever you
go," Ruto said.
Saturday's attacks drew international condemnation from Somalia, Britain,
the United States and the United Nations.
Former prime minister Raila Odinga called on the government to do more to
counter the country's deteriorating security.
"When can we expect an end to this desperate state of affairs? Where is the
bottom?" Odinga, now an opposition leader, asked in a statement.
Last week, police in Mombasa shot dead one man and arrested almost 400
others when they raided four mosques that they said were being used to
recruit militants and store weapons.
Al Shabaab killed at least 67 people in a gun and grenade raid on a Nairobi
shopping mall last September, saying it was revenge for attacks on its
fighters by Kenyan troops in Somalia.
That and other attacks in the past year on the coast and in Nairobi have
prompted Western nations to issue travel warnings, hitting the tourism
industry.
Experts have blamed poor command structures and intelligence sharing for
Kenya's problems fighting the militants in the past, but Ruto said improved
coordination had assured the success of the weekend raid against the
attackers. (Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Tom Heneghan)