Kenyans on social media were left shocked after watching a drill video that showed over 20 Kenya Red Cross (KRC) staff being held at gunpoint by what looked like militiamen.
The video captures a group of men armed with weapons, including guns, forcing the KRC staff to lie on the ground in an area that appears deserted.
After some point, the ‘militia’ is dispersed by forest rangers who fire in the air.
A majority of those who shared the authorised simulation exercise failed to mention that the video was actually meant to train the humanitarian staff on how to deliver first aid in conflict areas.
As a result of failure to clarify, many users were caught in shock and believed the video to be true.
This forced KRC to issue a statement to the media, assuring Kenyans that their staff were safe and also explaining the circumstances that led to the video.
“None of our staff has been attacked or is in any form of danger. The video was taken during a recent simulation exercise in the Aberdares (forest), where our staff was trained on handling first aid in conflict situation,” the press statement read in part.
Here is the video:
[video:]
