Nairobi's Westgate Mall to re-open nearly 2 years after al-Shabab attack that killed 67
Source: Toronto Sun
Nairobi's Westgate Mall is to re-open Saturday, nearly two years after it was attacked by Somalia's Islamic extremist rebels who killed at least 67 people, Kenyan officials said Tuesday.
The mall has been extensively refurbished since the devastating four-day siege.
The violence erupted on Sept. 21, 2013 when four Islamic militants entered the mall and fired on shoppers. Kenyan police and army responded hours later and the gunmen held the building for four days. The four attackers are believed to have died from smoke inhalation from a fire that collapsed part of the roof. The mall was left in shambles, with bullet-scarred walls, shattered windows, flooded floors and bloodstains. Kenyan army soldiers were also accused of looting shops.
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Shoppers should turn out Saturday for the mall's re-opening, said Kidero. Nairobi is safe and U.S .President Barack Obama's upcoming visit is testament to Kenya's security, he said. The U.S. State Department this week issued a travel warning to its citizens that extremists could target the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi later this month, which will be attended by Obama.
Read more: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/07/14/nairobis-westgate-mall-to-re-open-nearly-2-years-after-al-shabab-attack-that-killed-67
Here's hoping. (Especially since we're looking at Nairobi for our next tour...)