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| Africa Horn |
| Kenya Police Allow Mosques to Reopen in Port City |
| 2014-11-28 |
| [AnNahar] Authorities in Kenya's troubled port city of Mombasa said Thursday they were allowing four mosques to reopen following a string of raids to hunt for weapons and supporters of Somalia's Shabaab bad boys. Last week police said they found grenades, ammunition and petrol bombs and detained scores of people in swoops on the Masjid Musa, Sakina, Swafaa and Minaa mosques. One person was also rubbed out as they tried to throw a grenade at police. "Our intention is not to take over mosques, we are here to help you and your safety," said Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa, announcing that the mosques could reopen in time for Friday prayers. "I want to tell you now that the mosques are now open and you are all welcome to go to the mosques," he said. The raids prompted fresh unrest in Mombasa, an important tourist center key port city and gateway for trade with east Africa, with four people stabbed to death in apparent Dire Revenge attacks. Somalia's al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab Islamists on Saturday also ambushed a bus in northern Kenya and executed 28 non-Moslem passengers in what they said was Dire Revenge for the raids. Moslem civil society groups have accused police of worsening what they describe as an already volatile situation. Several Islamic preachers have been rubbed out in Mombasa in recent years in alleged extra-judicial killings by security forces and power struggles between moderate and radical Moslem factions. Churches have also been attacked. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |