Al-Shabab Attacks Theatre Group In Kenyan Town Of Mandera; Dozen Killed

Somalia-based militant Islamist group al-Shabab attacked Tuesday Kenya’s north-eastern town of Mandera killing at least twelve people.

A guesthouse hosting members of a theatre group was the target and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called the attack as heinous.

Beside this the group also exploded a truck bomb in Somalia near an African Union military base.

In recent months several deadly attacks have been made in and around Mandera. Most of the attacks were made in the Muslim areas targeting Christians.

According to local media reports, a 10-member theatre group named Pearls Quality Edutainment were to perform plays in Mandera. The members were composed of university students.

Two members were killed and the rest were rescued after the attack.

Kenyatta called for religious tolerance saying several people have been murdered in a terrorist attack and Kenyans won’t be divided in religious lines.

Earlier in October the al-Shabab group killed six people aimed at forcing Christians out of Mandera.

Mandera is the town located in border area with Somalia and this makes the attacks vulnerable from militants.
The actors of Pearls Quality Edutainment were in the town for three weeks and this was the fourth attempted attack on them.

Producer of the group, Daud Otieno, said gunmen raided their hotel early Tuesday morning shouting “actors” and firing at the rooms.