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| Deadly Kenya grenade attack hits children in church | Deadly Kenya grenade attack hits children in church |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| One child has been killed and three seriously hurt, police say, in a grenade attack on a church's Sunday school in the Kenya capital, Nairobi. | One child has been killed and three seriously hurt, police say, in a grenade attack on a church's Sunday school in the Kenya capital, Nairobi. |
| The attacker targeted St Polycarp's church on Juja Road. | The attacker targeted St Polycarp's church on Juja Road. |
| A police spokesman blamed sympathisers of Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist militant group, angry over Kenya's role in the UN-backed intervention force. | A police spokesman blamed sympathisers of Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist militant group, angry over Kenya's role in the UN-backed intervention force. |
| A mob later rounded on Somalis living near the church with sticks and stones in a suspected revenge attack. | A mob later rounded on Somalis living near the church with sticks and stones in a suspected revenge attack. |
| Police chief Moses Nyakwama told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that 13 people had been injured in the revenge attack, in the suburb of Eastleigh. | Police chief Moses Nyakwama told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that 13 people had been injured in the revenge attack, in the suburb of Eastleigh. |
| Separately, two police officers were killed in an ambush in the town of Garissa, near the border with Somalia. | |
| In July, 15 people were killed in raids on churches in Garissa, and there was speculation that al-Shabab or its sympathisers were responsible. | |
| 'Running for their lives' | 'Running for their lives' |
| Reports suggested a number of those hurt at the church were injured in a stampede after the attack. | Reports suggested a number of those hurt at the church were injured in a stampede after the attack. |
| The fact that Sunday's bombing has immediately been blamed on "Al-Shabab sympathisers" is hardly surprising, given events in Somalia in recent days. | The fact that Sunday's bombing has immediately been blamed on "Al-Shabab sympathisers" is hardly surprising, given events in Somalia in recent days. |
| The hand-grenade, thrown into a crowded public place, is becoming a grimly familiar tactic in Kenya. In the past six months, it has been used in bars in Mombasa, churches in Garissa near the Somali border, as well as churches and a bus station in Nairobi. | The hand-grenade, thrown into a crowded public place, is becoming a grimly familiar tactic in Kenya. In the past six months, it has been used in bars in Mombasa, churches in Garissa near the Somali border, as well as churches and a bus station in Nairobi. |
| All of these attacks have initially been blamed on al-Shabab. But in at least some cases, subsequent reporting has suggested turf-wars between local gangs. | All of these attacks have initially been blamed on al-Shabab. But in at least some cases, subsequent reporting has suggested turf-wars between local gangs. |
| As Kenyan troops push al-Shabab out of its last Somali urban stronghold, Kismayo, there is nervousness about the possibility of a retaliation on Kenyan soil. | As Kenyan troops push al-Shabab out of its last Somali urban stronghold, Kismayo, there is nervousness about the possibility of a retaliation on Kenyan soil. |
| Many remember the bombings in Kampala in 2010, which killed 74 people, after Ugandan troops entered Somalia. Whatever the motive of Sunday's bombing, it is not on a comparable scale. | Many remember the bombings in Kampala in 2010, which killed 74 people, after Ugandan troops entered Somalia. Whatever the motive of Sunday's bombing, it is not on a comparable scale. |
| A police spokesman, Charles Owino, told Reuters news agency: "We suspect this blast might have been carried out by sympathisers of al-Shabab. | A police spokesman, Charles Owino, told Reuters news agency: "We suspect this blast might have been carried out by sympathisers of al-Shabab. |
| "These are the kicks of a dying horse since, of late, Kenyan police have arrested several suspects in connection with grenades." | "These are the kicks of a dying horse since, of late, Kenyan police have arrested several suspects in connection with grenades." |
| The authorities said three children were seriously hurt in the attack, and a number of others suffered lighter injuries. | The authorities said three children were seriously hurt in the attack, and a number of others suffered lighter injuries. |
| The Red Cross had earlier said six children were critically wounded. | The Red Cross had earlier said six children were critically wounded. |
| Irene Wambui, who was in the church at the time of the attack, said: "We were just worshipping God in church when suddenly we heard an explosion and people started running for their lives. | Irene Wambui, who was in the church at the time of the attack, said: "We were just worshipping God in church when suddenly we heard an explosion and people started running for their lives. |
| "We came to realise that the explosion had injured some kids who were taken to hospital and unfortunately one succumbed." | "We came to realise that the explosion had injured some kids who were taken to hospital and unfortunately one succumbed." |
| Senior Nairobi police officer Moses Ombati appealed for calm after youths reportedly attacked the nearby Alamin mosque. | Senior Nairobi police officer Moses Ombati appealed for calm after youths reportedly attacked the nearby Alamin mosque. |
| Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa have suffered a series of grenade attacks since Kenya sent troops into Somalia last October. | Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa have suffered a series of grenade attacks since Kenya sent troops into Somalia last October. |
| The attacks in Mombasa escalated after radical Islamist preacher Aboud Rogo Mohammed was killed in a drive-by shooting in August. | The attacks in Mombasa escalated after radical Islamist preacher Aboud Rogo Mohammed was killed in a drive-by shooting in August. |