KENYA: Nine-year-old boy killed and three other children wounded after hand grenade is thrown into a Sunday school session in a church in the Kenyan capital Nairobi

Record ID: 362375

  • Title: KENYA: Nine-year-old boy killed and three other children wounded after hand grenade is thrown into a Sunday school session in a church in the Kenyan capital Nairobi
  • Date: 1st October 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) WITNESS, IRENE WAMBUI, SAYING: "We were just worshipping God in church when we suddenly heard an explosion and people started running for their lives but unfortunately we came to realize that the explosion had injured some kids who were taken to hospital and unfortunately one succumbed."
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime,Conflict,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA68C7Z5G33BVXL309Z7VK8A83F
  • Story Text: A nine-year-old boy was killed and three other children wounded on Sunday (September 30) when a hand grenade was thrown into a Sunday school session in a church in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, police and medical staff said.
    Kenya has suffered a series of grenade attacks since it sent troops across the border into Somalia last October in pursuit of Islamist al Shabaab militants who it blamed for kidnapping its security personnel and Western tourists.
    The attack on the church came days after Kenyan troops launched a surprise offensive on the southern Somali port of Kismayu, the last stronghold of the al Shabaab, forcing the rebels to flee.
    Police said attackers threw the grenade into the Sunday school service in St. Polycarp's church on Nairobi's Juja Road.
    The grenade exploded, spraying the children with shrapnel and fatally injuring the boy.
    "We were just worshipping God in church when we suddenly heard an explosion and people started running for their lives but unfortunately we came to realize that the explosion had injured some kids who were taken to hospital and unfortunately one succumbed," said witness Irene Wambui.
    Masked assailants launched simultaneous gun and grenade raids on two churches in the northern town of Garissa in July, killing at least 17 people.
    Police searched a number of witnesses at the scene as part of a preliminary investigation into the attack. They were later taken away for questioning.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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