A Kenya Defense Force soldier runs for cover near the perimeter wall where attackers are holding up at a campus in Garissa April 2, 2015. (Photo : REUTERS/Noor Khamis)
In an Al-Shabaab terror attack on Garissa University College in Kenya, 70 people lost their lives and 79 others were wounded. More than 500 students have been rescued, the university has 815 students, and all the staff members are accounted for, stated by the Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre on Thursday.
Islamist gunmen entered the Kenyan university before dawn on Thursday and opened fire. They were shooting students and taking hostages in a terror attack that left 70 dead. Two attackers were killed and one attacker has been arrested after the security forces mounted an operation to take out the extremists which lasted for 12 hours, stated by the officials, according to CNN News.
Al Shabaab, is an al Qaeda-linked terror organization that is based in Somalia. The organization claimed responsibility for the attack. Sheik Abdiasis Abu Musab, the group's military operations spokesman, said many Christians were being held by the militants. "We sorted people out and released the Muslims," he told Reuters.
Students said that the extremists were specifically targeting Christians and segregated them from Muslims and held them as hostages. Eyewitnesses also said that they were letting Muslims go after proof was given to them, according to NBC News.
After the attack, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said, "This is a moment for everyone throughout the country to be vigilant as we continue to confront and defeat our enemies".
The porous border between Somalia and Kenya gives the Al-Shabaab the opportunity to launch attacks in Kenya. The deadliest assault carried out by Al-Shabaab in Kenya was in September 2013 when the group attacked Westgate shopping centre killing 67 people.
Kenyan police have offered a bounty of $220,000 for Mohammed Mohamud, also known as Dulyadin alias Gamadhere, whom they believe is the mastermind behind the attack.
The U.S. Embassy had warned Kenya last month about an attack taking place after the death of Al-Shabaab's leader Adan Garaar in a drone strike.
