Death toll rises to 34 in Kenya attacks

Kenya: At least 34 people were killed overnight when suspected Shebab militants from Somalia attacked hotels, restaurants and government offices in a Kenyan coastal town, officials said Monday.

Heavily armed gunmen stormed into the town of Mpeketoni, near the coastal island and popular tourist resort of Lamu, late on Sunday. District deputy commissioner Benson Maisori said several buildings including hotels, restaurants, banks and government offices were burned down. "There were around 50 attackers, heavily armed in three vehicles, and they were flying the Shebab flag. They were shouting in Somali and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' ('God is Greatest')," he said. Fierce gun battles began on Sunday evening and continued into the early hours of Monday morning, but by dawn, the town of Mpeketoni was reported calm. "More bodies have been found and what we have now is 34," a local police official said, signalling the toll could rise further because "the search for more bodies is still underway." The Kenyan Red Cross also confirmed 34 dead.

"Our officers are still combing the area," Kenyan police chief David Kimaiyo also told AFP. "We suspect the involvement of Al-Shebab in this attack. We are appealing for calm as we do our best the search for the attackers. It is a very unfortunate incident." Kenyan troops crossed into southern Somalia in 2011 to fight the Shebab, later joining the now 22,000-strong African Union force battling the Al-Qaeda-linked militants. The Shebab vowed revenge, carrying out a string of attacks on Kenyan soil, including last September's assualt on Nairobi's Westgate mall in which at least 67 people were killed.