The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have today clarified that they saved more
than 650 lives at Garissa University College before the General Service Unit’s
Recce unit arrived at 5.30 pm last Thursday.
Speaking to journalists on
Wednesday, a senior military official who was angered by Kenyans giving credit
to Recce squad instead of Kenya Special Forces said that the Recce unit did not
actually rescue any hostages because all of them had been slain by the time
they arrived.
The officer said moments after
they received reports that terrorists had attacked the
university, soldiers from the nearby Garissa Barracks arrived at the scene
within 30 minutes to reinforce “overwhelmed” police officers.
He said within two hours, two
choppers full of Special Forces arrived from Lamu where they engaged terrorists
and rescued more than 500 students in a span of two hours.
He said the SF managed to push the
terrorists into one building and contained them there as they prepared to storm
the hostel where they were holding students hostage.
But as the military was preparing to
storm, they were asked to stand down and secure the grounds and perimeter,
while Recce stormed the building to complete the mission.
“KDF did all the work but did not take
the credit. The Recce team came in fresh just to kill four fellows. This
happened in the evening after the students had been rescued,” the angry officer
said.
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