Dozens of Somali extremists wielding automatic weapons attacked a small Kenyan coastal town for hours, assaulting the police station, setting two hotels on fire, and spraying bullets into the street.
At least 48 people were killed, officials said yesterday.
The assault began around 8pm on Sunday night as town residents were watching World Cup matches on TV.
The attack met little resistance from the country’s security apparatus, and lasted until early yesterday morning.
Authorities blamed al-Shabaab, Somalia’s terror group.
Kenyan police commander David Kimaiyo said the death toll was 48.
Another police commander said that as residents were watching the World Cup at the Breeze View Hotel, the gunmen pulled the men aside and ordered the women to watch as they killed them.
The attackers told the women that that is what Kenyan troops are doing to Somalia men inside Somalia.
The assault occurred in the town of Mpeketoni, which is about 20km southwest of the tourist center of Lamu.
Any tourism in Mpeketoni is mostly local, with few foreigners visiting the region.
The town is about 100km from the Somali border. Mpeketoni is about 600km from the capital, Nairobi.
Kenya has experienced a wave of gunfire and explosive attacks in recent months.
The US, UK, France, Australia and Canada have all recently upgraded their terror threat warnings for the country.
The Kenyan Ministry of the Interior said that at about 8pm on Sunday two minivans entered the town. Militants disembarked and began shooting.
Kenya’s National Disaster Operations Center said military surveillance planes were launched shortly afterward.
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