Kenya church attacks leave 17 dead
Gunmen killed 17 people and wounded dozens in gun and grenade attacks on two churches Sunday in the Kenyan town of Garissa near the border with Somalia, officials said.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Kenya-church-at...
Wearing balaclavas, the attackers killed two armed police -- posted outside churches following previous attacks before bursting inside to target worshippers as they held prayer services.
Witnesses said bodies lay scattered on the floor inside the blood spattered buildings -- a Roman Catholic church and an Africa Inland Church.At least 40 people were rushed to hospital, several in a critical condition, the Kenyan Red Cross said.
The Red Cross, which put the death toll at 17, flew the three most critically injured victims by air ambulance to the capital Nairobi.Three children were reported to be among the dead.
Later, the pro-Shebab Twitter site Al-Kataib boasted of a "successful operation in Garissa" but did not specifically claim responsibility. Nairobi has blamed previous assaults on the Al-Qaeda linked Shebab.
Kenya sent its forces into Somalia to pursue al -Shabaab fighters and despite successful operations against Al Shebab by UN and AU fighters Shebab remains in Somalia and Kenya has been had been hit by a number of bombs and grenade attacks. Al Shebab is using the same tactics of attacking Christian churches as Boko Haram in Nigeria and from East to West are being used to the detriment of the whole region.
The Vatican denounced on Sunday as a "fact of great concern" and an "unspeakable cowardice" the attack on two churches."The bloody attacks in Kenya in Garissa town against two Christian churches including the Catholic Cathedral for the Lord's Prayer is a very horrible and very disturbing," said the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi to Vatican Radio.The spokesman was particularly concerned about the fact that "it seems that among the terrorist groups attack Christians gathered on Sunday in their places of worship has become a particularly effective method deemed to spread hatred and fear ". "The cowardice of the violence committed against defenseless people gathered peacefully in prayer is unspeakable," Father Lombardi said.
The Pope issued a similar statement regarding attacks in Nigeria last week. The attacks on the tombs of Sufi saints in Timbuktu shows a complete contempt for the religious veneration. Terrorism has hijacked religion and the battle is on for the whole region to preserve individual liberties,freedom of worship and civilised standards.
Witnesses said bodies lay scattered on the floor inside the blood spattered buildings -- a Roman Catholic church and an Africa Inland Church.At least 40 people were rushed to hospital, several in a critical condition, the Kenyan Red Cross said.
The Red Cross, which put the death toll at 17, flew the three most critically injured victims by air ambulance to the capital Nairobi.Three children were reported to be among the dead.
Later, the pro-Shebab Twitter site Al-Kataib boasted of a "successful operation in Garissa" but did not specifically claim responsibility. Nairobi has blamed previous assaults on the Al-Qaeda linked Shebab.
Kenya sent its forces into Somalia to pursue al -Shabaab fighters and despite successful operations against Al Shebab by UN and AU fighters Shebab remains in Somalia and Kenya has been had been hit by a number of bombs and grenade attacks. Al Shebab is using the same tactics of attacking Christian churches as Boko Haram in Nigeria and from East to West are being used to the detriment of the whole region.
The Vatican denounced on Sunday as a "fact of great concern" and an "unspeakable cowardice" the attack on two churches."The bloody attacks in Kenya in Garissa town against two Christian churches including the Catholic Cathedral for the Lord's Prayer is a very horrible and very disturbing," said the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi to Vatican Radio.The spokesman was particularly concerned about the fact that "it seems that among the terrorist groups attack Christians gathered on Sunday in their places of worship has become a particularly effective method deemed to spread hatred and fear ". "The cowardice of the violence committed against defenseless people gathered peacefully in prayer is unspeakable," Father Lombardi said.
The Pope issued a similar statement regarding attacks in Nigeria last week. The attacks on the tombs of Sufi saints in Timbuktu shows a complete contempt for the religious veneration. Terrorism has hijacked religion and the battle is on for the whole region to preserve individual liberties,freedom of worship and civilised standards.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Kenya-church-at...