WASHINGTON – The United States Senate unanimously adopted a resolution Wednesday condemning the September terrorist attacks at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi and reaffirming U.S. support for the people and government of Kenya. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, led the bipartisan resolution, which was cosponsored by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), the Subcommittee’s ranking member.

“The horrific attack on Westgate Mall was a heartbreaking reminder that terrorist organizations like al Shabaab remain a threat to the United States and our allies in Africa and around the world,” Senator Coons said. “The unconscionable targeting of innocent civilians demands our attention and resources as we work to combat the spread of terrorism and hold those who wage these brutal attacks accountable for their crimes. The United States Senate stands with the people and Government of Kenya, and all those affected by this terrible tragedy.”

S. Res. 268 states that the U.S. Senate:

  • Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous atrocities and terrorist attack that occurred at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 21 through 24, 2013;
  • Offers its condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed in the attack and expresses its hope for the recovery of the wounded, including United States citizens;
  • Recognizes the many heroic and selfless acts by Kenyan citizens, first responders, and the Kenya Red Cross to rescue those caught in the Westgate Mall during the attack;
  • Reaffirms United States support for the efforts of the Government and people of Kenya to combat terrorism, counter extremism, promote tolerance, and bring the perpetrators of the Westgate Mall attack to justice;
  • Commends the Government of Kenya's continued participation in the African Union Mission in Somalia; and
  • Recognizes Kenya as an important regional ally and partner of the United States.

On September 21, 2013, armed terrorists attacked the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing more than 60 people and injuring at least 175 from 12 different countries during a four-day siege. Four Americans were hurt and the wife of a Foreign Service national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed in the attack. The attack was the deadliest terrorist incident in Kenya since the 1998 al Qaeda bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi. Al Shabaab, an al- Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group based in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was carried out in retaliation for the Kenyan government’s participation in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

On October 8, Senator Coons chaired a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs examining security and governance challenges in Somalia, including ongoing international operations to degrade the threat posed by al Shabaab. Kenyan defense forces entered Somalia in an effort to push back al Shabaab in October 2011, and remain in the country as a part of AMISOM.

Senator Coons studied at the University of Nairobi for a semester in 1984 and was last there leading a Congressional delegation in May 2012.

In addition to Senator Flake, the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

To download the resolution, click here: http://coons.senate.gov/download/s-res-268-condemning-kenya-terrorist-attack