39 confirmed dead in Kenya mall attack
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E-mail CNTV, September 22, 2013
The Kenya government has said at least 39 people are known to have been killed in the shopping mall attack in capital Nairobi. Earlier the Red Cross reported up to 50 people were wounded.
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The Kenya government has said at least 39 people are known to have been killed in the shopping mall attack in capital Nairobi. |
The Kenyan Presidency said via social media that one gunman involved in the attack on the Westgate shopping mall died from gunshot wounds shortly after he was arrested.
Authorities have already moved in elite troops with the backing of armored vehicles to reinforce the police force surrounding the shopping mall.
Media reports also said the police have restricted the gunmen to one area in the mall.
According to the Chinese embassy in Kenya, so far no Chinese citizens have been reported killed in the attack.
The Al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamist group Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. It said that "Mujahideen" gunmen attacked the shopping mall and it was in contact with them. The group also said that Kenya had received repeated warnings to pull its troops out of Somalia or face "severe consequences".
Earlier, our reporter in Nairobi brought us details from the mall.
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The Kenya government has said at least 39 people are known to have been killed in the shopping mall attack in capital Nairobi. |
An up market shopping centre at the west suburbs of Nairobi was the scene of chaos, as gunman laid siege to the Westgate mall.
Witnesses say attackers stormed the upmarket mall and sprayed gunfire on shoppers and staff, while terrified people could be seen running away from the compound and crawling along walls to avoid stray bullets. Many others remained trapped in the four-storey building, taken hostage.
"They were wearing bullet proof vests and they had weapons," eyewitness Elijah Kamau said, "and they came and said: 'If you are Muslim stand up. We’ve come to rescue you. Uhuru (Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta) said to kill Muslims. Now in Mombasa people are being killed there, now we are here to rescue only the Muslims. If you are a Muslim, stand up and go.' Those Muslims left with their hands up and then they shot two people right next to me and we’ve just taken one of them to the ambulance."
Vehicles riddled with bullet holes were left abandoned in front of the mall. Heavy fire was heard as police units moved in.
"There was a shooting at the ground floor and slowly slowly they were going up and up...Somehow some police officers rescued us. The situation is very bad inside," said shop owner Shah.
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