3 killed, several injured in twin explosions in Kenya's Mombasa

At least three people were killed and several others injured in twin explosions onSaturday evening in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya, local police said.Mombasa county police commander Robert Kitur who confirmed the incidents saidthe explosions occurred simultaneously, one near the Reef Hotel reception while another was hurled at a crowd at Mwembe Tayari in the Mombasa town."We can confirm three deaths and some injuries. We are yet to establish the motivebehind two explosions," Kitur said at the scene in Mombasa. Witnesses said the a bag was found outside at Reef Hotel and the security guarddecided to take it inside but exploded at the reception area. There was no casualty.Kenya's interior ministry said that what was discovered at Reef hotel gate was anImprovised Explosive Device (IED). The hoteliers at the coast said all the guests and staff at the hotel are safe.Kitur said another blast which was hurled at the crowd ripped off a bus belongingto Chania Travellers that had just arrived from at the Mwembe Tayari stage fromNairobi, leaving three people dead and several others injured."The blast shattered the windows of the bus," he said. Passengers were reportedly boarding the bus during the Saturday evening attack.Since Kenya sent troops across the border into Somalia in October 2011, northern,eastern and parts of Nairobi and Mombasa have been hit by a series of blasts, many targeting local security forces and humanitarian workers.Several attacks believed to have been carried out by Al-Shabaab have occurred inMandera, Wajir, and Garissa and Dadaab districts of northern Kenya even as the military reports gains against the Islamist group by capturing their military basesand killing scores of them.