al-Shabab massacres 15 at Kenyan varsity, 650 missing

About five gunmen from the militant Islamist group al-Shabab have killed at least 15 people and taken students hostage at a university in north-eastern Kenya.

Reports say 65 others were wounded when gunmen stormed the university in Garissa. Troops are engaging the gunmen.

Witnesses said the masked attackers fired indiscriminately and there are fears there could be more casualties.

Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, said it was holding Christians hostage and freeing Muslims.

Hostages from the two groups had been separated, and 15 of the Muslims had already been released, a spokesman for the group told the BBC. At least about 550 people are still unaccounted for.

In previous attacks in north-eastern Kenya, al-Shabab spared the lives of Muslims while killing non-Muslims.

 The interior ministry said one of the suspected gunmen has been arrested.

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