Kenya: Bodies of Mandera victims airlifted to Nairobi

The bodies of the victims of explosive attack in Mandera north-west of Kenya were on Tuesday evening airlifted to Nairobi.

Attackers blew up part of a hotel in northeastern Kenya, killing at least 12 people on Tuesday, in a raid claimed by al Shabaab militants from neighbouring Somalia.

The attack perpetrated by the Somali Islamists shebaab has been condemned by the Governor of Mandera Ali Roba and termed ‘An heinous act perpetrated by the cowardly Al shebaab”.

He said the strategy of Al shebaab in Kenya, is intended, for “economic isolation of the region, and impose economic sanctions on the population of the region and to try to cut it away from the rest of the country.”

In addition to the Al shebaab’s threat, the general elections planned in August 2017 are likely to fuel tensions in Kenya, especially north-east of the country.

According to several sources, tensions are also felt in the region of Mandera in view of the governor election.

The firs part of investigation indicates the involvement of local criminals” in the Tuesday attack.

According to Several Kenyan media, some of the victims of Mandera attack belonged to a theatre group which was expected to perform in several schools in the city.

At least six people were pulled out from the rubble.

Mandera on the Somali border has often been targeted by al-Shabaab, which says it will continue its campaign of attacks in Kenya until the Kenyan government withdraws its troops from Somalia where they are part of an African force.