The Slatest

At Least 147 Reported Killed in Islamist Terror Attack on Kenyan University

Kenya Defence Forces soldiers in a Thursday photo from Garissa.

Reuters

Update, 3:10 p.m.: The official death toll has now risen to 147, including four attackers.

Update, 12:35 p.m.: Kenyan officials say at least 70 people have been killed in Thursday’s attack.

Original post, 10:00 a.m.: Militants from the al-Shabab Islamist group have attacked a Kenyan university near the country’s border with Somalia; at least 15 people are reported dead, with at least 65 injured, and hostages have been taken. Reports indicate that the attackers are specifically targeting Garissa University College’s Christian students while releasing Muslims.

Al-Shabab is a Somali group that has carried out a number of deadly attacks in Kenya—a 2013 attack on a Nairobi shopping center killed 68—in retaliation for Kenyan contributions to the African Union forces that support the Somali government.

Garissa is marked here with the red pin:

Google Maps

The attack began approximately 12 hours ago, at 5 a.m. local time.