Obama expresses support for Kenya following "heinous" terrorist attack

U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday emphasized his support for the government and people of Kenya following a terrorist attack on a university that killed at least 148 people.

In a telephone talk with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday afternoon, Obama expressed his condolences for the lives lost during the "heinous" terrorist attack in Garissa, Kenya, the White House said in a statement.

Somali militant burst into Garissa University College in eastern Kenya on Thursday and killed at least 148 people, including 142 students, 3 policemen and 3 soldiers from Kenya Defense Forces, in what was the worst terrorist attack since 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in the country.

Obama reiterated that he looks forward to meeting with Kenyatta in Nairobi in July, when the two leaders will discuss how to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and continue to work together to build a safer and more prosperous future for Kenya and the broader region, said the statement.

Al Shabaab, the Somali terrorist group and one of the most violent franchises of al-Qaida, immediately claimed responsibility for the Thursday attack.

"The future of Kenya will not be defined by violence and terror; it will be shaped by young people like those at Garissa University College -- by their talents, their hopes, and their achievements," Obama said in a separate statement issued by the White House.

The Kenyan people should know they have an "unwavering friend and ally" in the United States, Obama added. Endite