The upscale Dusit Hotel in the Westlands neighborhood of Nairobi became the target of an armed assault on the afternoon of Jan. 15. Kenyan authorities and witnesses are describing the incident, which is still ongoing, as a terrorist attack. According to eyewitnesses, at least four assailants armed with assault weapons are involved. Police have blocked off the immediate area, which contains the hotel, a bank and several office spaces. The National Police Service's inspector general confirmed that there have been casualties — though not how many — and that one of the assailants had been detained. Gunshots and a number of explosions were reported around 3 p.m. local time, with a series of vehicle fires casting a pall over the scene. It is uncertain whether the explosives used were military-grade or improvised, but given the scale of the damage, they were likely small in size. Meanwhile, the Islamist militant affiliate group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Dusit Hotel hosts the offices of several multinational companies, making it likely that a number of expatriates are staying at or visiting the hotel, making it an attractive target for militant groups. The targeting and modus operandi is consistent with previous attacks.

The group has demonstrated intentions to strike further into Kenya, particularly at the capital Nairobi. The group carried out an attack at the Westgate Mall, which is less than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of the Dusit Hotel, in 2013. Three people involved in the 2013 shooting were charged in a Kenyan court on Jan. 14. Security forces thwarted a similar plot in February 2018, which also intended to target the capital. Militants planned to detonate a vehicle-borne IED carrying eight separate 10-kilogram (22-pound) TNT devices, followed by militants launching an armed assault with assault rifles, grenades and other explosives.