Only 280 out of 815 students at the Garissa University College attacked by suspected Al Shabaab gunmen have been accounted for.
This is according to a tweet by Kenya’s national disaster agency which cited Kenya’s Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery.
“280 of 815 students have been accounted for. Efforts are under way to track the others – CS Nkaissery #GarissaAttack,” the Kenya National Disaster Operation Center said on its official Twitter feed, citing Nkaissery.
The number of students still being held hostage by the Somali Islamic militants has not been confirmed.Reports say there’s a fierce battle between the militants and the Kenya defense forces who are being assisted by elite police.
Meanwhile the American government has condemned the attack saying it is a cowardly act by the militants.
“We are saddened & angered by today’s terrorist attack @ #Garissa Univ. Our deepest condolences 2 family/friends of victims. #CowardsNeverWin,” the embassy posted on its Twitter account.
The statement followed an announcement by the police that more reinforcements had been sent to the scene of an attack.
Meanwhile Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended his condolences “to the families of those who have perished in the Garissa attack and said the government had undertaken the “appropriate deployment”.
Kenyatta was speaking to Journalist as he reacted to the attack and the ongoing siege.
The President who pointed out the shortage of police officers and the need for additional officers said that he had ordered the head of police to “ensure that the 10,000 recruits whose enrollment is pending, promptly report for training at the Kenya Police College”.
“We have suffered unnecessarily due to shortage of security personnel. Kenya badly needs additional officers, and I will not keep the nation waiting.” said the president in his address to the nation.
The president urged Kenyans to remain calm and provide the security agencies with any helpful information.
