Via Sky News:

Suspected Islamist insurgents in Kenya have raided a police station and “set on fire” at least three hotels and a petrol station, officials have said.

The group of gunmen entered the western coastal town of Mpeketoni and started “shooting people around in town”, the interior ministry said.

The assault began at around 8pm on Sunday, with gunshots reported up to four hours later.

Cafes and bars were reported to have been busy with people watching the World Cup on television.

It was not immediately clear how many attackers were involved and if there any casualties.

Area police chief Hamaton Mwaliko said: “Attackers hijacked a van from Witu town which they used for the attacks. They raided Mpeketoni police station first and opened fire.

“Some hotels in the town are on fire. We don’t know how many casualties are there for now. We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them.”

Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the “assailants (were) likely to be al Shabaab”, Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked insurgents.

Update: Anyone who flunked their quiz on Islam was killed.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Dozens of extremists attacked a Kenyan coastal town for hours, killing those who couldn’t answer questions about Islam and those who didn’t know the Somali language, officials and witnesses said Monday. At least 48 people were killed and two hotels were set on fire.

The assault in Mpeketoni began Sunday night as residents watched World Cup matches on TV and lasted until early Monday, with little resistance put up by Kenya’s security forces. Cars and buildings still smoldered at daybreak.

Authorities blamed al-Shabab, Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked terror group, who have vowed to carry out terror attacks to avenge the Kenyan military presence in Somali. Along with its Somali fighters, the group also has many Kenyan adherents.

Like the gunmen who attacked Nairobi’s Westgate Mall last year, the Mpeketoni attackers gave life-or-death religious tests, a witness said, killing those who were not Muslim.

“They came to our house at around 8 p.m. and asked us in Swahili whether we were Muslims. My husband told them we were Christians and they shot him in the head and chest,” said Anne Gathigi.