16 dead in attacks on Kenyan churches

A group of masked men launched simultaneous gun and grenade attacks on two churches in eastern Kenya, killing at least 16 people.

Grenades were thrown into one church in Garissa, while gunmen broke into a second, spraying it with bullets.

More than 60 people were wounded in the attacks in the north Kenyan town which has been used as a base for operations against Al Qaeda-linked insurgents in Somalia.

"This is the worst single attack since October, when our troops went into Somalia," national police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said.

"It is the worst in terms of the numbers killed, the manner of execution, the anger behind it and the anguish it has aroused as well as the national impact it has had."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

Police said they suspected Al Shabaab sympathisers or bandits may have been behind the raids, but it was too early to say.

In Somalia, Al Shabaab declined to comment.

Regional deputy police chief Philip Ndolo said seven assailants had hurled grenades into the Catholic church and the African Inland Church (AIC) and then opened fire with assault rifles.

They struck the churches, situated 3 km apart, at mid-morning (local time) and two policemen guarding one of the churches were among those killed.

"The goons were clad in balaclavas," Mr Ndolo said.

"You can imagine for such a small town how the police and medical services have been stretched trying to deal with this."

Television footage showed benches knocked over at the AIC church and blood pooled on the floor and spattered over the walls.

Garments, shoes and Bibles were strewn around.

Police milled outside the churches which were cordoned off by investigators who were picking at fragments and taking notes.

"We have 17 bodies at the mortuary so far," regional medical officer Abdikadir Sheikh said.

Paul Mwalali, 52, a worshipper at the AIC church, told local media he heard objects hit the roof before explosions rocked the church.

"I had a front row seat in the church. I heard something fall on the roof. Then there was a huge explosion," he said.

"I (fell) on the ground. Then there was shooting and people were screaming."

Felix Kimanzi said he saw masked gunmen hurl two grenades, but only one exploded.

"I was 100 metres away from the church when I saw two gunmen at the entrance spray bullets at the congregation," he said.

The Kenyan Red Cross has airlifted seven of the wounded to Nairobi.

The organisation's chief Abbas Gullet says the country needs to deal with violence more decisively.

"It is very sad for this country today, it is unacceptable, inhumane for what happened today for just ordinary worshippers for for someone to decide and go and indiscriminately shoot at them," he said.