Kenya Defence Forces, AP’s Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and Regular Police had engaged the terrorists in lengthy exchange of fire, from strategic positions they had taken in upper floors, but it was the arrival of the Ruiru-based General Service Unit’s Recce Company at about 4.30pm that overpowered the attackers, security sources said yesterday.
The terrorists, suspected to have been five, had positioned themselves near the rooftop of the Elgon block hostel from where they were sniping down at security forces, apparently making it difficult to storm the building without incurring heavy casualties, said security sources who directed the operation in Garissa. As the siege progressed, 24 members of the Recce unit’s special teams code-named CRT and Radiation were dispatched by road to Garissa in four vehicles, each carrying six.
They arrived at about 4.30pm and were driven straight to Garissa Police station for a briefing by among others the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet. Eighteen of them, clad in full combat gear, complete with bullet proof vests, were driven to the vicinity of the university.
Security sources said the Recce operation was launched rapidly with the other teams which had been on the ground instructed to continue engaging the terrorists to create a diversion for the GSU team to storm the building.
Moving in formation, the GSU officers were seen running to the back entrance of the Elgon hostel which had been identified as the last hold-out for the terrorists. The GSU men scaled the stairs to the general position where the terrorists were hiding and the lead officer lobbed a stun grenade that emits smoke to distract the targets.
It was later reported that the terrorists also hurled back explosives at the officers, injuring several who were in the lead. But they were overpowered in a rapid storm, with four being shot dead. One who was suspected to have evaded the final onslaught is said to have been arrested as he left the gate, and is in police custody.
Pictures of the four terrorists circulated on social media yesterday showed all of them with gun shot wounds in the head. This was contrary to earlier reports that the terrorists had blown themselves up with explosives. However, bodies of two of them were found rigged with explosive belts.
Security sources said one GSU officer died while seven others injured were admitted to a Nairobi hospital yesterday. Shortly after 6pm Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery announced the siege had ended, that that at least 500 students had been rescued, while 142 had been killed and 79 injured. Addressing a press conference at the Wilson airport minutes after arriving from Garissa, Nkaissery last night gave the total death toll to be 142 .Three police officers and two reservists also died. A total of 104 people were injured , 91 of them critically.
Other independent sources said the number of dead could be higher as more bodies were seen being removed from the university yesterday afternoon. Security sources said an Executive order, said to have come directly from President Uhuru, had been issued to security chiefs instructing them to do all at their disposal to ensure the siege did not continue into the night.
“The Presidency was determined that this was not going to be another Westgate (reference to the Westlands mall attack in September last year). It was very well planned and forcefully executed. The terrorists did not escape and all the casualties they inflicted were before the security forces arrived,” said a high-placed source in the Police Service.
The Interior ministry spokesperson Mwenda Njoka last night Tweeted that three suspected accomplices of Mohammed Kuno alias Gamadhere were arrested yesterday as they tried to cross the border back into Somalia. Three more suspects were arrested in Garissa for coordinating attacks.
Meanwhile, the National government has set up a National Disaster Operations Centre to assist families and friends of victims from the Garissa University College terror attack with information on the status of their loved ones . Health Cabinet secretary James Macharia said the crisis operation centre would be based at the Nyayo National Stadium.
It is manned by government officials from an Inter-Ministerial Team. “Friends and families are advised to go to the Nyayo National Stadium to receive all updated information on victims and survivors. The Crisis Centre is also offering psychosocial support and counselling services on site,” said Macharia.
The Crisis Centre will have: A list of casualties, a manifest of students who survived the attack and where they are and how they can be linked to their families. At the same time , it was reported that 112 bodies had by last night been airlifted to Chiromo Mortuary.
“Families and friends can call the following toll-free hotline numbers for more information and counselling: 0724 092933 or 020 2151053 or 101,” said Macharia.
