The students said the attackers who had covered their faces were merciless as they hit the students indiscriminately and even stepped on some girls who had collapsed. The students added that after attackers ensured that most students were out of the dormitories they continued to drive them out of the school as other fled to nearby Ngong forest. Mr Simon Ndiami, was one of the parents who had no idea on the whereabouts of his son, Isaac Lesile.
The director of the school, Charles Nyamute, said that he left the school at 11pm to go home only to receive a phone call later that students had been attacked. The school has about 1, learners in total. He criticised parents who he claimed were not willing to divulge more information about their children while seeking admission at the school. The centre, which is situated a few kilometers from Lenana School, is now set to a hold parents' meeting on Wednesday to decide on the next course of action.
Most of the parents said that their children arrived at home in the wee hours of the morning while others used friends' phones to call home. The school management said that several parents had reported their children as missing and the school was working with the police in order to track them.
We found people alive and we found dead. He said, "There could be people still hiding, they don't know if it's help or danger when we are coming. Kenyan soldier on scene inside Westgate : 'We don't know what's under the debris.
We don't know what's behind doors until we open them'. Kenyan soldier on scene inside Westgate : There could be people still hiding, they don't know if it's help or danger when we are coming. Kenyan soldier describes scene inside Westgate : 'Every pane of glass is broken, debris everywhere. The Kenyan Defence forces are going back to the barracks. Meanwhile BBC reports that almost a dozen armed officers on the were seen on the rooftop of the mall in what seems as a possible end game. The Bomb squad has also been seen moving in.
The report comes even as police tweeted that the operation was over and troops were engaged in clearing and sweeping operations. The BBC has also quoted a police officer as saying that the operation is 'over'. No further information was forthcoming at present. A local man, whose brother is taking part in the military operation inside the centre, has also reportedly told AP that there are many dead still waiting to be recovered.
Meanwhile the Kenyan government has appealed for patience, as people clamour for. Death toll of Indian citizens killed in Westgate attack rises.
Sudharshan B. Nagaraj from Bangalore sadly identified as among those killed. Al-Shabab says the hostages "are still alive, looking quite disconcerted but, nevertheless, alive. Officials did not give a figure, saying only that "most" hostages had been released.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard from the building Tuesday as government forces pressed on inside. She had reportedly been pregnant, the report added. Ruhila Adatia-Sood, a popular media personality of Indian origin, was among the 69 people killed by the Islamist militants. Ruhila was in the rooftop car park of Westgate mall as part of a team hosting a cooking competition for small children at the time of the attack.
Read more The BBC reports that a group claiming to represent the gunmen inside the Westgate mall has claimed that there are hostages still being held by gunmen.
Meanwhile the Kenya police have tweeted that the mall is now under control of forces and a sweep is being conducted. It must be noted here however, that this is not the first time that they have claimed this:.
The West Gate Mall is under the full control of govt forces and we are carrying out a sweep to ensure its safe for everyone. Quoting one of its reporters in Nairobi, the BBC reported: Komla Dumor BBC News in Nairobi reports that so far 10 militants have been arrested, two more have been detained at the city's airport as they tried to leave and three have been killed, according to security forces. The battle between the gunmen and security forces is nowhere close to over in the Westgate Mall.
CNN reports that witnesses have said that piles of bodies are lying around in the mall and the gunmen are still on the loose inside. Initial estimates had suggested there could be 10 to 15 gunmen in the mall.
Kenya government spokesman Manoah Esipisu has tweeted that one more gunman has been killed, bringing the death toll of the terrorists to three. One more terrorist of the Westgate siege has been gunned down, bringing the death toll of these terrorists to three. It is not known what has happened to the other gunmen in the mall. Earlier reports said that at least ten to fifteen gunmen were involved in the attack.
Kenyan forces earlier claimed victory, but there are still reports of gunfire and explosions from inside the mall. International news reports claim that several gunmen, including snipers are still inside the Westgate mall, despite police and government claims that they have secured victory. Kenyan forces say that they are 'in control' of the mall, but fresh explosions and gunfire were still emanating from inside the building.
More details as soon as we get them. Barely one hour after Kenyan police claimed that forces had secured victory against gunmen who have been holed up inside the Nairobi mall, reports of Fresh gunfire and heavy explosions are coming in.
Despite Kenyan government assurances of success on Twitter, another explosion and more gunfire could be heard coming from the mall at around am local time on Tuesday, Associated Press reporters at the scene said. Security forces carried a body out of the mall, which remained on fire, with flames and smoke visible. While the government announced Sunday that "most" hostages had been released, Associated Press quoted a security expert with contacts inside the mall as saying that at least 10 were still being held by a band of attackers described as "a multinational collection from all over the world.
Security at all entry and exits across the country has being heightened. The over 10 suspects were arrested at the airport.
We continue to appeal for calm, keep vigil and avoid Westgate area. The number of Indians killed in the Nairobi mall attack could be much higher than the current 'official' death toll, according to this report in the Times of India. The report quoted Gujarati real estate developer Ravi Vekhariya, who has been inside the mall twice as part of a rescue team as saying, "The toll has been put at 70 so far.
At least bodies are lying inside the mall, which have not yet been accounted for. Many of these are Indians. We estimate 30 to 40 may have been killed. The Kenyan police are claiming via their Twitter feed that the standoff with the mall attackers is now over.
No further information was immediately available. Thank you Kenyans. As a country we have been affected in one way or another but WithOneAccord we stood together, we prayed together, we stood as one. Thank u. Be patient for the official communique that will be announced shortly in the AM. WithOneAccord we stood together despite the challenges. More than 60 people have been killed in the assault on the upscale mall, which has lasted for three days, reported Associated Press.
US officials said they were looking into whether any Americans were involved. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki SAH-kee said Monday the department had "no definitive evidence of the nationalities or the identities" of the attackers. Kenya said its security forces had taken control of the Nairobi shopping mall where Islamist fighters killed at least 62 people, and that police were doing a final sweep of shops early Tuesday after the last of the hostages had been rescued.
The Kenya police tweeted the following four hours ago:. We are in charge of the WestGate situation and more updates will be coming your way. However CNN reported that despite this, two senior Kenyan officials had told the news channel that gunmen -- including snipers -- were still inside the four-story mall.
There was still no word on what had happened to the hostages who were believed to be inside with the gunmen. Meanwhile, CNN reported that Kenyan authorities said they had arrested more than 10 people for questioning in connection with the attack, including at least four taken into custody at an airport.
More here. We can confirm that fire at Westgate has been put out, reports of another fire are untrue. A Somali MP has said today that he was caught up in the terrorist attack inside the Westgate mall along with a fellow parliamentariant. The BBC reported that Ali Khalif Galeyr, a former prime minister, said that he had been having coffee with fellow parliamentarian Buri Hamza and an African Union political liaison officer from Burundi when the attack began.
Secretary of State John Kerry calls Saturday's assault on at a shopping mall in Kenya's capital "an enormous offense against everybody's sense of right and wrong.
He spoke Sunday with Somalia's foreign minister and U. The Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack on the upscale Westgate Mall in Nairobi. The Kenyan Defence ministry said today that the fire inside Westgate mall was started by the militants to distract the military operations and now it is being controlled by fire fighter from different agencies.
Here is the tweet:. Fire started in the building by the terrorists to distract the ongoing operation is being managed by fire fighters from different agencies. The grocery store Nakumatt inside the Westgate mall in Nairobi where the militants began their siege has confirmed that two of their staff have died in the attack.
Two other staff of the grocery store are hospitalised while one is missing. The BBC reported the Kenyan government as saying that the operation has gone well even though some militants who took many people hostage at the Westgate mall are still on the run. Kenyan Defence force troops have taken control of all the floors in the Westgate mall and the fire is being contained by firefighters, says the Kenyan Interior Ministry.
Also around 10 people have been arrested for questioning in connection with the attack. Reports suggest that eleven Kenyan Defence force soldiers have been injured in the Westgate mall siege and have been taken to the Defence Forces Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Kenyan defence forces are saying that troops are now in control of all floors of the Westgate mall and three militants have been killed so far. Kenyan forces have also said that there are slim chances of the terrorist escaping since all entry and exit points to the mall have been sealed.
We can confirm that 3 terrorists have been killed so far, a few others have suffered injuries — Kenya Defence Forces kdfinfo September 23, This indicates that the fight is still on.
It is the third day of this siege that began on Saturday. Shooting in the streets outside Westgate , feels like possible endgame. He also reported a Kenyan soldier as saying that it was almost over. Can see dozens of Kenyan troops crossing the road into westgate now. Volleys of fire continuing into westgate. Update: We've arrested some individuals at the airport for questioning. Here are the tweets. The Horn of Africa is also a strategic shipping route for Israel. Read the full piece here.
President Barack Obama on Monday called the Westgate attack a "terrible outrage" and said the United States was providing all the cooperation it could to Kenya, Reuters reports:. The Press Association reports that six Britons are now confirmed to have died after armed terrorists stormed a shopping centre in Kenya, but that figure may rise further, according to defence secretary Philip Hammond.
Two men facing charges they fought for al-Shabaab, the group behind the Westgate attack, are due in court in New York City , the AP reports:. The pair and another defendant pleaded not guilty last year to charges they provided material support to al-Shabab. That group has taken responsibility for the weekend attack in a crowded mall in Nairobi.
They were captured in Africa last year while traveling to Yemen to team up with the al-Qaida offshoot there. In a June congressional hearing to make its case that controversial NSA surveillance tactics helped keep the country safe, the FBI listed four examples of potential terrorist activity that had been stopped thanks to surveillance, one of which was a San Diego-based plot to fund al-Shabaab.
An FBI press release with the details of that case is here. It reads in part:. During the three-week trial, the United States presented evidence that Moalin, Mohamud, Doreh, and Nasir conspired to provide money to al Shabaab, a violent and brutal militia group in Somalia that engages in suicide bombings, targets civilians for assassination, and uses improvised explosive devices. In February , the U. Department of State formally designated al Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization.
Send some and something will happen. Updated at 6. The president of Somalia al-Shabaab presents a threat not just to Africa but to the entire world, the AP reports:. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says reports that some of the attackers may have been Somalis who lived in the United States illustrate the global nature of al-Shabab.
Mohamud said after a Monday speech at Ohio State University in Columbus that he has spoken with the president of Kenya and plans to visit the country. It's unclear, however, how the al-Shabaab organization presents a nonlocal threat apart from through affiliated forces abroad falling under the al-Qaeda umbrella.
Al-Shabaab is riven by an internal debate over whether to focus on Somalia or attacks abroad, the AP reported:. Al-Shabab is believed to have fractured over its alliance with al-Qaida, which caused a rift that has grown between core Shabab fighters who believe their struggle should focus on Somalia, and growing tensions with foreign fighters who want to plot a regional terrorist strategy.
Analysts think attack on Nairobi's Westgate mall could indicate the extremists are winning that internal struggle. Further divisions are believed to have been caused by the group's decision to ban foreign aid organizations from operating in the country and providing food to save millions of victims of conflict-induced famine.
That decision was announced in , when the U. Meanwhile U. Reuters reports:. No numbers of those freed or remaining have been provided. Security forces said they were trying to protect potential hostages and prevent the attackers from escaping.
The victims held at least a dozen different nationalities. Two Three attackers two on Monday had been killed out of a total group numbering , he said. Explosions attributed to security forces' clearance procedures were heard. Black smoke rose from the structure, which Ole Lenku said was from mattresses set on fire by the attackers to create a distraction. President Uhuru Kenyatta revealed he had lost his nephew in the attack , and declared his country "would not relent on the war on terror".
Barack Obama called Kenyatta Sunday to offer condolences and support. Updated at 8. Why Kenya, and why now? Still, in the light of this weekend's tragic scenes, it is worth revisiting Kenya's sudden decision to get itself involved in Somalia.
Unlike Uganda's internationally approved military support for Somalia's fragile central government along with troops from Burundi, and more recently Djibouti and Sierra Leone , Kenya's was a unilateral intervention that took everyone by surprise.
And their goal was less about restoring stability in Somalia and more about wiping out al-Shabaab and establishing a de facto buffer state between the two countries, a buffer state it hoped would keep Somalia's instability from spilling over its borders and threatening Kenya's vital tourism and shipping industries.
Kenya has a sizeable Somali population and an entire suburb Eastleigh that is known as the Somali district. This has previously been the site of xenophobic violence, with Kenyans targeting Somalis in response to other attacks attributed to al-Shabaab. Kenya's leaders have a duty to remind their citizens that this is not acceptable. Allison also goes into the domestic political implications of the attack. Read the full piece here , and read more content on the Guardian Africa Network here.
The network, which is intended to stimulate debate and introduce new voices into a conversation that has too often been dominated by outsiders, is a collaboration between the Guardian and selected sites writing from and about Africa, each with their own particular interests and identity. Updated at 5. Updated at 4. Uganda, which like Kenya has sent troops to fight Islamist militants in Somalia, said on Monday it had stepped up security , Reuters reports:.
The last big attack by Somalia's al Shabaab, which has claimed responsibility for the Nairobi attack, was a double bombing in Uganda in , targeting people watching the soccer World Cup final on television in Kampala, killing 77 people. There was no obvious sign of heightened security at two of the capital's main shopping malls, beyond the usual checks by private security personnel.
Occasional live shots of the mall are interspersed with long breaks for news anchor comment and footage of local officials.
The news cameras are being kept well away from the mall. Smoke continues to rise from the structure. At the time Ole Lenku said the standoff could end soon:. We are in control of all the floors.
Remarkable scenes in Nbi pic. He added that the cause of the explosion was unknown. With the professionals on site, I assure Kenyans that we have as good a chance to successfully neutralize the terrorists as we can hope for," he told reporters. The government also received reports of both male and female attackers, consistent with accounts given by witnesses who said they saw women involved.
Army helicopter close to WestgateMall just visible in background. First time so close since Sat attack. Meanwhile, earlier two French citizens were confirmed dead in the attack, France's presidential office stated. Another big volley of gunfire from inside WestgateMall just now. This website uses cookies. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more. Where to watch. RT Shop. RT News App. Question more live. Al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group took dozens of people hostage, among them foreigners, after seizing the Westgate shopping mall in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on September At least 67 people were killed during the four-day siege.
Sunday, September 29 GMT: Kenyan security services have made another arrest in connection with the attack, a top official said, but declined to say how authorities believe the person was involved in the siege, AP reports. Wednesday, September 25 GMT: The hostage-takers, after boasting about killing a total of hostages, then declared the majority of them were buried under the rubble of the collapsed roof of Westgate mall.
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