Al-Shabab, a Somali Terrorist Group Attacked the Westgate Mall in Kenyan Capital Nairobi

Armed terrorists allied with al-Shabab, a Somali group loyal to al-Qaeda attacked the Westgate Mall in Kenyan capital of Nairobi on 21 September 2013. In the terrorist attack, around 300 people, which included four Indians as well, were severely wounded.

Among the 62 killed people were two Indians. The Kenya Red Cross revealed about the number of dead in the terrorist attack on the Westgate mall. Estimated of 10-15 gunmen attacked the mall.

Among the dead, most of the people were Kenyans. Apart from these, there were four British, one Dutch, two Indians, two French, one Australian, one Netherlands woman and one Peruvian, two Canadians and one Swiss, Chinese, South African and New Zealander each. During the attack, Ghanaian poet and former UN envoy Kofi Awoonor was also killed.

The attack is the worst in Nairobi since the year 1998 when Al-Qaeda bombing at the US embassy had killed over 200 people.

What is al-Shabab?

• The Kenya Chief of Defense forces Gen. Julius Karangi explained that the attack was carried out by the al-Shabab terrorist group.
• It is a Somali group loyal to al-Qaeda.
• Al-Shabab has been fighting since years in Somalia in order to enable conversion of people to an Islamic theocracy.
• The Kenyan Government has also sent its forces to Mogadishu, Somalia for fighting with the group.