Eight held over Nairobi mall attack, al Shabaab issues new threat

Photo: Observer

Kenyan authorities are holding eight people in connection with an attack by Islamist militants on a Nairobi shopping mall and have released three others after the assault that killed 67 civilians and soldiers, the interior minister said on Friday.

Somali Islamist group al Shabaab suggested Saturday's attack, followed by a four-day siege, would be followed by other actions by its 'warriors'

. A top Kenyan military official played down reports of a build up of Kenyan forces near the Somali border, saying that troops who had gathered near Somalia were rotating to join African peacekeepers there and replace other Kenyan soldiers.

Al Shabaab said it launched the attack to demand that Kenya withdraw its troops from Somalia, where Kenyan forces deployed in 2011 to strike at the group which Nairobi blamed for attacks and kidnappings in Kenya's northern area and coastline.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said Kenya will not withdraw. Keep reading

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