Militant group attacks Kenyan town, kills policemen

The leader of al-Shabab said in a message that there is no way Kenya can “withstand a war of attrition inside your own country.”“Make your choice today and withdraw all your forces,” said Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, also known as Godane, in a new statement posted on the Internet late Wednesday. “Otherwise be prepared for an […]

The leader of al-Shabab said in a message that there is no way Kenya can “withstand a war of attrition inside your own country.”
“Make your choice today and withdraw all your forces,” said Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, also known as Godane, in a new statement posted on the Internet late Wednesday. “Otherwise be prepared for an abundance of blood that will be spilt in your country, economic downfall and displacement.”
Al-Shabab attacked Nairobi’s upscale Westgate mall Saturday and held it for four days in a siege in which at least 67 people were killed. Forensic experts from around the world, including the U.S., Britain and Germany, continued their work Thursday reconstructing events in the crime scene including by carrying out fingerprint, DNA and ballistic analysis.
Early yesterday, Al-Shabab fighters attacked the border town of Mandera, killing two police officers, injuring three others and destroying 11 vehicles, said regional police chief Charlton Mureithi.
Kenya has suffered many such attacks by al-Shabab along its 682 kilometer (423 mile) border with Somalia but they take on new significance following the Westgate Mall attack.
The Kenyan government said the international response is being coordinated by the international police agency Interpol, which sent an incident response team that arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday.
Interpol official Jean-Michel Louboutin said his team includes disaster victim identification and data specialists who will carry out real-time comparisons of evidence collected inside the mall against the France-based agency’s database on DNA and fingerprints from its 190 member country network.
“Whether it be through comparison of information against Interpol’s global databases, or the issuance of a notice to identify a victim, locate a wanted person, or seek additional information about suspects, we will offer all necessary assistance to help bring those responsible to justice,” Louboutin said in a statement.