What on EARTH happened in Kenya :-(??

[PacificDogwood]

Save us all from fanatics .

I am quite fanatically against extremists of all colours/faiths/nationalities.

What can go on in their heads when they plan an attack like this? Are they hoping to win support? Do they truly believe that atrocious acts like this wins a place in paradise?? Really?

I despair sometimes .

What happened?!

Trouble has been brewing there for a while being exported from nearby countries.

News I read this morning said ir was a jewellery shop robbery gone wrong?

Ive got family there, ill see if they know whats going on

Extremists? Paradise?

What are you on about?

Link? Or at least tell us what you are talking about?

No-one yet knows of this was a terrorist incident or a violent robbery spinning out of control.

Forthose who haven't seen the news, there's been a mass shooting in a shopping mall in Nairobi - gunmen still in the building, as are an unknown number of staff and customers.

Link to BBC article.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24186780

It seems to be a robbery, but do you have additional information about the group that carried out the attack, linked to religious groups?

Op is talking about an attack in a shopping centre in Kenya, the news earlier said it was a robbery gone wrong, it has turned in to a hostage situation which sky are now reporting as being motivated by religion rather than robbery. I believe they are saying 15 people have been killed.

For those with friends/family there, it is a raid on the Westgate shopping centre on Westlands, Nairobi.

Grenades were thrown in at around 12 noon local time, and then gunfire broke out. Police are there, and it is now a siege/hostage situation.

Sorry, I lost our WiFi just as I was about to post the link

I may have posted a bit off the cuff and made assumptions re religious motivation, so sorry about that.

This is not an anti-any-religious thread; this is an anti-extremism thread.
And a rant, I suppose....

American news say that the attackers have been tentatively identified as Somalian.
Land Pirates?

The Kenyan Army has conducted operations against al-Shabab across the border into Somalia. So if the attackers are Somali, it doesn't rule in or out either possibility.

My nephew says people are saying it is al sahbaab

Typo. Sha not sah

So, was it actually a robbery gone wrong?
Who takes grenades on a robbery??

Why rob a busy shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon? Presumably a particularly populated time?

My aunt was on her way there to go shopping this morning. We're still trying to get through to her or anyone else who might know what's going on.

BBC had nonsense about a castle and sky not worked round to it yet and sport next.

This report from Reuters has more detail than the BBC. Al-Shabab have threatened to attack this shopping centre, which does make reprisals/terrorism seem likely, but no-one has (yet?) claimed responsibility.

Watching on Sky now - oh those poor terrified people.

Xiaoxiong I do hope your aunt is safe and that you hear from her soon.

BBC update

I hope you aunt is ok, Xiao

My thoughts are with everybody affected

We've just had a missed call from her, but when we try and ring back it won't go through. Hoping this means she's ok and not stuck inside or something. She's going to have about 800 missed calls from all of us when she gets back into range!

My grandfather's in Nairobi too, but I doubt he'd be anywhere near Westgate on a Saturday.

DM article

My nephews in laws are Kenyan I think they live about an hour from Nairobi , I have just text them to see that they and their family are ok