12 dead in latest Mandera shooting - Christians targeted in attack

'...a collapsed wall covered me.'

Islamic extremists opened fire in Kenya's northern Mandera County on Tuesday, killing twelve people.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Somalia's al-Shebab rebels claimed responsibility for the shooting, which occurred on the Bishaaro Guest House.

Andalus, the terrorist's radio station, reported the attack was meant to target Christians.

Mohamed Saleh, Mandera's regional commander, said the group made their way into Bishaaro by using grenades and homemade explosives, then stormed the area with guns.

The Catholic Herald explained the attackers arrived in the middle of the night and went from room to room to find and kill anyone they encountered.

Veronica Wambui, a survivor of the attack and actress with a group touring Mandera, claimed her group fell asleep around 2:30 a.m. when the explosion at the main gate woke them.

"I could see the lights from the torch (flashlight) when they were checking out the room but the collapsed wall had covered me," Wambui shared.

She was wounded when bullets began flying in all directions. She was hospitalized to be treated for bullet wounds in the palm of her left hand and injuries to both legs.

The Washington Post described the victims as "non-Muslims" and Abdi Rizak, a member of the Mandera county assembly, explained the aftermath left some people leaving the town in fear.

"They live in fear," he explained. "Every night people hear guns around the town. [al-Shebab] want to divide the country every time they do something."

Mandera has been experiencing frequent al-Shebab attacks against everyone from innocent citizens to security personnel.

The worst attack came in 2015, when 147 people were killed in eastern Kenya. Please pray these attacks come to an end and the power of Christ's love and forgiveness change the atmosphere in Mandera.

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