Armed gang attacks Kenya Human Rights Commission
The press conference was being held ahead of Monday's "Saba Saba Day", an annual commemoration of pro-democracy protests in the 1990s.
"The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: 'You are planning protests here'," the journalist said.
The Women's Collective Kenya, a grassroots rights movement, had helped organise the press conference to call for "an immediate end to arbritrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of their children for taking to the streets".
But the meeting had yet to start when the gang of around 20 people attacked, some armed with sticks, forcing many to flee for safety.
"Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission," the Women's Collective posted on X.
Armed "goons", as they are widely known in Kenya, have been deployed to attack protesters in recent weeks.
Protesters marching against police violence on June 17 were attacked by hundreds of men on motorbikes armed with whips and clubs.
AFP journalists at the scene saw them working with the apparent protection of police, and some openly said they had been paid by local government leaders.
At least 19 people died on June 25 as another day of protests turned violent, with thousands of businesses looted and destroyed.
There is deep resentment against President William Ruto over economic stagnation and corruption, and anger has been fuelled by police killings and dozens of illegal detentions since large-scale protests first broke out in June 2024.
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IOL News
8 hours ago
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Thailand and Cambodia begin truce talks as fighting drags on
Cambodian migrant workers carry their belongings as they return from Thailand through the Doung International Gate in Battambang province on July 28, 2025. Thailand and Cambodia's leaders are due to meet for peace talks on July 28, as a festering territorial dispute along their shared frontier dragged into a fifth day of open combat. (Photo by Chor Sokunthea / AFP) Image: AFP Thailand and Cambodia's leaders opened peace talks Monday in Malaysia, seeking a ceasefire after five days of combat along their jungle-clad frontier that has killed at least 35 people. More than 200,000 people have fled as the two sides fired artillery, rockets, and guns in a battle over the long-disputed area, which is home to a smattering of ancient temples. The flare-up is the deadliest since violence raged from 2008 to 2011 over the territory, which is claimed by both sides because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907. Hours ahead of the talks, an AFP journalist in the Cambodian city of Samraong -- 17 kilometers (10 miles) from the fraught frontier -- reported hearing a steady drumbeat of up to 10 blasts a minute. US President Donald Trump -- who both nations are courting for trade deals to avert the threat of eye-watering tariffs -- intervened over the weekend and said both sides had agreed to "quickly work out" a truce. Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet began their talks in the administrative capital Putrajaya around 3:15 pm (0715 GMT). They met at the residence of Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim, serving chair of the ASEAN bloc of which Thailand and Cambodia are both members, who earlier told media he would focus on an "immediate ceasefire". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Washington's top diplomat Marco Rubio said State Department officials were on the ground in Malaysia to assist the "peace efforts" while Cambodia said a delegation from its close ally China would also attend. But ahead of the summit, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and barbed accusations. Cambodia's defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said it was "the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia's territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops". As he departed Bangkok airport, Phumtham told reporters he did not believe Cambodia was "acting in good faith" and called on the country "to demonstrate genuine intent" in the meeting. In Thailand's Surin city -- 30 kilometres from the border and a hub of evacuees fleeing the fighting -- 58-year-old Lamduan Chuenjit shared her leader's scepticism. "I hope the negotiation goes well today and ends with a ceasefire," the cleaner told AFP while sweeping a shopfront. "But I do wonder how trustworthy Cambodia is." Both sides point the finger On the eve of the talks, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camped in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. It said there was fighting at seven areas in the rural region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and fields where locals farm rubber and rice. "The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations," the Thai military statement read. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday, but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said his public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace have been cancelled amid the strife. Trump has threatened both countries with high levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals -- but said he would "look forward" to signing them once "peace is at hand". Each side has already agreed to a truce in principle, while accusing the other of undermining peace efforts and trading allegations about the use of cluster bombs and targeting of hospitals. Thailand says eight of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed eight civilian and five military deaths. The Thai military said it had returned the bodies of 12 Cambodian soldiers killed in combat. More than 138,000 people have fled Thailand's border regions, while around 80,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia. With the skirmish enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand warned its citizens to "refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action" against Cambodian migrants living in the country. AFP
