An influential Muslim cleric and three other people have been killed in a shooting attack carried out by unidentified gunmen near Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa.

The secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya said Friday that Sheikh Ibrahim Amor and three other people were assassinated after assailants sprayed their car with bullets near the tourism resort city of Mombasa on Thursday night.

Police have confirmed the killings but have yet to release more information.

The killings brought Mombasa to a standstill on Friday as many shops closed after demonstrations broke out in the coastal city.

One protester was shot and a church torched as youths engaged the police in the battles.

Kenyan police have arrested 24 people during the protests.

The deaths come less than two weeks after militants attacked Nairobi's upscale Westgate Mall, leaving at least 67 people dead.

Somali militant Al-Shabab officials have claimed responsibility for the assault and warned the Kenyan government to withdraw its troops from their country.

In August last year, gunmen shot down Sheikh Aboud Rogo Mohammed, sparking days of riots in Mombasa.

Kenyan police have promised to enhance security measures across the country after reports of Somali militants planning to carry out additional attacks in the East African nation.