NKAISSERY, BOINETT FLOWN TO GARISSA

NAIROBI, KENYA: Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet flew to Garissa Thursday, hours after gunmen laid a siege at a University College killing at least two people and injuring many. The government officials left in police choppers to help in coordinating the operation targeting to rescue those trapped in the college. By 9 am Thursday, two people had been confirmed dead and 32 wounded. According to sources, the overall student population in the college is about 800. All students live in two hostels at the college compound. Its not clear how many were being held hostage by 9.30 am. Those who escaped from the scene said a hostel janitor was among those shot and wounded when he tried to open the door to escape. Other witnesses said the gunmen confiscated students mobile phones as they engaged in shootout. See also: Two people killed, five injured in Garissa gun attack “None of those inside can be reached or respond to phone calls. We don’t know what is happening but the military have surrounded the hostel and there are gunshots from within,” said a student in the area. The attack came a week after Britain and Australia warned their citizens of imminent attack in Kenya. The two countries issued the advisories saying they had intelligence an attack would happen. The new warning was issued last Friday, a week after Philip Hammond’s (UK Foreign Secretary) trip to Kenya where he failed to convince Nairobi to renew a bilateral military training agreement. “The UK has updated its travel advice for Kenya, adding advice against all but essential travel to the coast from Tiwi (just south of Mombasa) all the way up to the border with Somalia,” said the advisory. “Our travel advice for other parts of the country has not changed, and the vast majority of the country remains outside our advisory against all but essential travel,” it said.

NAIROBI, KENYA: Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet flew to Garissa Thursday, hours after gunmen laid a siege at a University College killing at least two people and injuring many. The government officials left in police choppers to help in coordinating the operation targeting to rescue those trapped in the college. By 9 am Thursday, two people had been confirmed dead and 32 wounded. According to sources, the overall student population in the college is about 800. All students live in two hostels at the college compound. Its not clear how many were being held hostage by 9.30 am. Those who escaped from the scene said a hostel janitor was among those shot and wounded when he tried to open the door to escape. Other witnesses said the gunmen confiscated students mobile phones as they engaged in shootout. See also: Two people killed, five injured in Garissa gun attack “None of those inside can be reached or respond to phone calls. We don’t know what is happening but the military have surrounded the hostel and there are gunshots from within,” said a student in the area. The attack came a week after Britain and Australia warned their citizens of imminent attack in Kenya. The two countries issued the advisories saying they had intelligence an attack would happen. The new warning was issued last Friday, a week after Philip Hammond’s (UK Foreign Secretary) trip to Kenya where he failed to convince Nairobi to renew a bilateral military training agreement. “The UK has updated its travel advice for Kenya, adding advice against all but essential travel to the coast from Tiwi (just south of Mombasa) all the way up to the border with Somalia,” said the advisory. “Our travel advice for other parts of the country has not changed, and the vast majority of the country remains outside our advisory against all but essential travel,” it said.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000157006/nkaissery-boinnet-lead-rescue-operations-in-garissa-gun-attack/