Al-Shabab claims responsibility for gunfire, explosion at hotel in Kenya’s capital

An explosion and gunfire heard at an upscale hotel and office complex in Kenya’s capital on Wednesday afternoon has been claimed by feared armed militant group al-Shabab.

“We are currently conducting an operation in Nairobi,” the group’s military operations spokesman told Al Jazeera

A woman working in a neighbouring building who witnessed the incident said; “We are under attack,” another person in an office inside a complex in the Dusit hotel told the Reuters news agency, then hung up. Local television showed smoke rising from the area.

Read also: Tension swells as Trump rejects proposal to reopen govt after shutdown

Reports say flames and plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky from the parking lot of the compound where several vehicles were on fire, with scores of people fleeing the compound, some of them lightly injured.

The Nairobi police commander Philip Ndolo said they had cordoned off the area around Riverside Drive due to a suspected robbery after the incursion which comes a day after trial began over the deadly Westgate mall attack case that left 67 people dead.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now