Militants kill 36 non-Muslims in northern Kenya

Soldiers of Kenyan Defence Forces look over the bodies of some 36 Kenyans as they lie at a quarry, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. Kenya police say that at least 36 quarry workers were killed in an attack in northern Kenya by suspected Islamic extremists from Somalia. Kenyan police chief David Kimaiyo confirmed the workers were killed early Tuesday in Mandera County. (AP Photo) , Soldiers of Kenyan Defence Forces look over the bodies of some 36 Kenyans as they lie at a quarry, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. Kenya police say that at least 36 quarry workers were killed in an attack in northern Kenya by suspected Islamic extremists from Somalia. Kenyan police chief David Kimaiyo confirmed the workers were killed early Tuesday in Mandera County. (AP Photo) ,

By Associated Press December 2, 2014 5 min read

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – The heavily armed men roused the sleeping quarry workers in the dead of night.

As in previous such attacks, the gunmen singled out the non-Muslims by asking them to recite the Islamic creed. Then they killed 36 of them – most with a gunshot to the back of the head, according to a survivor who hid nearby during the slaughter.

The Islamic militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the methodical massacre in northern Kenya early Tuesday – 10 days after a similar attack on a bus that killed 28 – and it prompted President Uhuru Kenyatta to shake up his national security team amid public outrage over the continuing violence.

“I know we are all under a lot of pressure, but I appeal to each one of us: This is not a time to be cowed by the enemy,” Kenyatta said in a nationally televised address.

“This is a war we must win,” he said. “We will not flinch or relent in the war against terrorism in our country and our region.”