Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab Islamists threatened Kenyan citizens with "another bloodbath" on Saturday, two days after their gunmen slaughtered 148 people at a university.
"We will, by the permission of Allah, stop at nothing to avenge the deaths of our Muslim brothers until your government ceases its oppression and until all Muslim lands are liberated from Kenyan occupation," the Shebab said in a statement.
"And until then, Kenyan cities will run red with blood... this will be a long, gruesome war of which you, the Kenyan public, are its first casualties."
The day-long siege on Thursday of the university in the northeastern town of Garissa was Kenya's deadliest attack since the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi, and the bloodiest ever by the Shebab militants.
The Shebab, in an emailed statement written in good English, and which was confirmed genuine by a spokesman via telephone, described how they had specifically singled out non-Muslims to kill, gathering them together before executing them.
Survivors who hid from the attack have recounted how the gunmen called on people to come out of their dormitory bedrooms and lie on the ground face down, but then killed them.
A photograph seen by AFP from inside the building showed over 50 students killed lying down on the ground.
"The mujahedeen stormed the university compound and swiftly proceeded to the halls of residence where they had gathered all the occupants," the statement added.
"And since the attack targeted only non-Muslims, all Muslims were allowed to safely evacuate the premises before executing the disbelievers."
The statement also described what it called "unspeakable atrocities against the Muslims of East Africa" by Kenyan security forces, both in Kenya's northeastern ethnic Somali region and in southern Somalia, when Nairobi sent troops in 2011 to battle the Islamists.
The gunmen in Garissa wanted to "avenge the deaths of thousands of Muslims killed at the hands of the Kenyan security forces," the statement added.
The Kenyan government has vowed that it would not be "intimidated".
But the Shebab also warned the public they would be targeted in "schools, universities, workplaces and even in your homes" as they had elected the government.
"Choices have consequences; you chose your government out of your own volition so endure the consequences of your actions, for you will bear the full brunt of its follies," the statement read.
"Not only are you condoning your government's oppressive policies by failing to speak out against them, but are reinforcing their policies by electing them. You will, therefore, pay the price with your blood."
GMT 20:01 2017 Sunday ,29 October
Police end militant siege of hotel in MogadishuGMT 19:57 2017 Sunday ,29 October
truck bomb and gunmen kill at least 23GMT 20:12 2017 Saturday ,21 October
Niger says 12 soldiers killed in attack near MaliGMT 23:05 2017 Tuesday ,17 October
4 SRCS volunteers among Mogadishu attackGMT 02:36 2017 Tuesday ,17 October
Al Shabaab militants attack Somali army base, say dozens deadGMT 05:37 2017 Saturday ,14 October
At least 9 dead after Somali Islamists set off car bombGMT 02:52 2017 Thursday ,12 October
Loud blast heard at traffic police head office in SomaliaGMT 01:17 2017 Thursday ,12 October
Al Shabaab car bomber strikes hotel in Somali capital, at least 15 deadMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor