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Survivors and victim’s families mark 21st anniversary of US Embassy bombings

By Amina Wako August 7th, 2019 1 min read

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the bomb attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi which killed 213 people and left more than 5,000 others with injuries.

To commemorate the occasion, survivors and families of those who perished on the August 7, 1998 will meet at the Memorial Park in Nairobi in honour of the victims.

American Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, were destroyed by the coordinated twin strikes for which Al-Qaeda terror group took responsibility. In Dar es Salaam, 11 people died while 85 others were injured.

FACE OF EVIL

The US Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, through a tweet, on Wednesday said the attack revealed the face of evil.

“Remembering those who perished 21 yrs ago in Nairobi & Dar es salam when the embassies were bombed. The face of evil, terrorism, was revealed that day. For peace & freedom we stand strong & remain vigilant today,” read the tweet.

The survivors and families have been meeting at the Memorial Park over the years. Last year, a short documentary was showcased at the Memorial Park.

DEADLIEST ATTACK

The documentary captured the journey of the survivors who narrated the events of the fateful day and how their lives were changed.

The August 7, 1998 bomb blast remains the deadliest attack in Kenya’s history.

The second deadliest terror attack in the country happened in April 2015, when an attack by Al Shabaab militants left 147 people – most of them students – dead at Garissa University.