Muslims Kills Christians in Raid on Village in Coastal
Kenya
By
Dan Wooding, Founder of the ASSIST News Service
NAIROBI,
KENYA (ANS - February 2, 2016) – In a pre-dawn raid on a predominantly
Christian area in coastal Kenya on Sunday (Jan. 31), Islamic extremist Al
Shabaab rebels killed at least four Christians, beheading one of them, area
sources said.
In
the Kaisari area of Maporomoko village, near Pandanguo about 25 miles inland
from the Indian Ocean town of Lamu, Al Shabaab rebels attacked from 1 a.m. to 5
a.m., a wounded survivor at Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital told Morning Star News
(http://morningstarnews.org).
The
victim, a Christian from the Maporomoko-Bondeni area who was shot in his right
hand, said there were five or six heavily-armed assailants who spoke Somali and
were dressed in military uniform. They shot two Christians to death, hacked and
beheaded another and killed at least one other by setting his house on fire, he
said.
“I
could not understand them, so they shot me in my hand, but I managed to escape
while a neighbor who was with me was beheaded by the other attackers,” the
Christian (name withheld) said from his hospital bed. “As I fled for my life
bleeding, I could see two houses burning. Those who were attacked are
Christians. I am very sure that the attackers were looking for Christians.”
The
beheaded man was identified only as Mwaura, a Christian.
“This
is the third time the area has been attacked, and we have lost several
Christians,” the survivor said.
According
to the East Africa Correspondent for Morning Star News, the rebels, who are
fighting government and regional forces in Somalia, regard the northern coastal
area of Kenya as Islamic territory. Al Shabaab, linked with Al Qaeda, took
responsibility for the attack in a call to news organization Al Jazeera.
“Our
fighters attacked non-believers in the occupied Muslim land of Lamu,” a
spokesman said. “Our Mujahideen [Jihadists] killed several non-believers in the
attack. We will give more details later.”
Unknown
people resembling Al Shabaab militants had previously been seen in Pandanguo, a
predominantly Muslim area, an area Christian leader said. Pandanguo is about 60
miles from the Somalia border.
“The
Muslims want to wholly own the coastal region, and they want that the Christians
should leave the area for them, but our presence in Lamu will bring many to the
Christian faith,” the pastor said. “God has called us to be the salt and the
light and to lead many to the marvelous light of Christ.”
Maporomoko
village has a population of about 2,000 people from Christian tribes – Kikuyus,
Meru and Kamba – and from non-Christian or Muslim Orma, Boni and Wasanye tribes,
as well as Somalis. The Al Shabaab militants attacked only the Christian areas,
the Christian leader said.
The
rebels burned homes, left several people wounded and kidnapped some Christians,
according to various sources.
“Security
forces were following the footpaths of those kidnapped, who disappeared into the
Pandanguo area, which is the home of the Boni and Somalis,” the pastor said.
“The Christians are now finding out about some of their missing neighbors. The
security personnel are not disclosing information, as tension remains high in
areas where Christians have settled themselves: Mpeketoni, Hindi and some parts
of Maporomoko area, which has been a target of Al Shabaab militia.”
MSN
went on to say that Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet told media the
attack occurred near Pandanguo, which witnessed killings during June 2014 Al
Shabaab attacks. Boinnet reportedly said security personnel were in the area
tracking down the militants.
“They
were dressed in military attire and heavily armed,” a senior police officer
reportedly said. “They spoke in the Somali language and shot at locals and
beheaded others before escaping on foot.”
On
June 15, 2014, Al Shabaab rebels attacked Mpeketoni, in Lamu County, selecting
out Christian males as they killed more than 57 people, area sources said. The
estimated 50 Al Shabaab militants attacked two hotels, a police station and
other buildings in a five-hour assault with guns and grenades. Sources told
Morning Star News the attackers were chanting “Allahu Akbar [God is Greater]”
and killing whoever could not recite verses from the Koran.
After
Sunday morning’s assault, Mpeketoni residents on Monday morning (Feb. 1)
protested terror attacks by Al Shabaab militia in the region. Police had to stop
the demonstration of angry Mpeketoni residents to keep them from retaliation
attacks on Somalis living in the area. At the same time, hundreds of people in
Kaisari, greater Maporomoko and nearby Jima and Nyatha villages have been seen
fleeing their homes.
“We
feel very insecure, and our lives are in danger,” a mother of four in Hindi told
Morning Star News. “Next time, the attackers will come and destroy us
completely.”
Al
Shabaab rebels have launched several attacks in northeast Kenya since Kenyan
forces led an African coalition into Somalia against the rebels in October 2011,
in response to terrorist attacks on tourists and others on Kenya’s coast.
Photo
captions: 1) A Christian lies dead after attack by Al Shabaab rebels. 2)
Children, who face great danger from Al Ahabaab, worshiping the Lord in a Kenyan
church. 3) Dan Wooding speaking some years ago at an open air service in
Kenya.
About the
writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and
journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now
living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married
for more than 52 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six
grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder and international
director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST
News Service (ANS). He is also the author of some 45 books and has two US-based
TV programs and a radio show called “Front Page Radio.” He has reported from all
over Africa for ANS, including Kenya on several occasions.
You
may republish this or any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News
Service (www.assistnews.net).
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