Sunday, September 30, 2012


Tragic Kenyan Church Blast


This morning, BBC news reported on a grenade blast that killed one child and left three severely injured at a Sunday school church in Nairobi, Kenya.

The article explains that the blast was most likely from supporters of Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist militant group who were angry at Kenyan supports for UN intervention in Somalia. A revenge attack took place in Eastleigh injuring 13 Somalis. 
Multiple attacks have occurred in Nairobi and Mombasa since Kenyan troops were sent into Somalia last October, according to BBC news. 





In my opinion, this story truly pulls on reader's emotions. The video that was published at the top of the article is sad (shown above). What shocked me was how composed the woman remained during the interview. It is always tragic to hear about the death of child through political or religious violence. 


The quote "running for their lives", written in the article and said by the woman in the video, conveys the sense of chaos felt by survivors of the attack. The article suggests that others were injured from a stampede following the attack as many people ran franticly for safety unsure of where the grenades were coming from. 
I think it was smart for BBC news to include a video interview of a survivor from the attack. It added to the emotional appeal of the story and made it more personal. This story is also timely in expressing the ongoing conflict between Somalia and Kenya right now. 



Your two cents... 
What was your reaction to the video after seeing it? How did reading this article make you feel?


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