Kenya - 63 killed, dozens injured in Nairobi mall shooting, 21 Sept 2013

[Yoda]

Security guards wheel out bodies in shopping trolleys from Westlands Shopping Centre
British and US citizens are caught up in the terrorist attack in Nairobi
Evidence suggest Somalian terrorist group al-Shabaab may be to blame
Statement released saying it warned Kenya to remove troops from Somalia
Hostages are being held by at least five attackers still in building


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ntre-targeted-non-Islamics.html#ixzz2fYdQiS1U
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

"Gunmen who opened fire at a shopping centre killing at least 25 and injuring dozens more today let muslims go free if they could prove they were Islamic.
Witnesses caught up in the attack at Westlands Shopping Centre, in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, said anyone who could recite a muslim prayer to their captors was allowed to leave unscathed."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ntre-targeted-non-Islamics.html#ixzz2fYdFhaZY
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

GIrl running to safety.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...an-shopping-centre-targeted-non-Islamics.html

 

[Strangeworld]

They just reported 39 dead on the news here - how horrific!

 

[wfgodot]

(Guardian, with video)

Islamic militants' attack on Kenyan shopping mall leaves at least 39 dead
The attack at Westgate Mall is the worst to have occurred on Kenyan soil since the US embassy bombings in the 1990s

---
At least 39 people, including many women, children and "very close members" of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's family, were killed and more than 150 wounded when heavily armed attackers pulled up in several cars and shot their way into the most upmarket shopping centre in the Kenyan capital, ordering Muslims out if they could prove their religion by reciting a prayer.
---

much more at the link

 

[Snoopster]

Two Canadians, including a diplomat, are among the 39 people killed and more than 150 wounded after Islamic extremist gunmen raided Nairobi's top mall Saturday, lobbing grenades and firing assault rifles.

The Prime Minister's Office released a statement identifying 29-year-old Annemarie Desloges, an official in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration who served in Canada's High Commission to Kenya, as one of those killed.

Witnesses said at least five gunmen — including at least one woman — first attacked an outdoor cafe at Nairobi's Westgate Mall, a shiny, new shopping centre that hosts Nike, Adidas and Bose stores. The mall's ownership is Israeli, and security experts have long said the structure made an attractive terrorist target.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadians-die-in-kenya-massacre-claimed-by-al-qaeda-linked-group-1.1863137

 

[Trino]

US shopping malls scare me. They're so open and vunerable to an attack.

 

[Peliman]

I've been watching this story develop all day and it's just getting worse.

Here's the first tweet 14 hrs ago

NEW: 4 dead as gunmen open fire at a mall in Nairobi http://u.afp.com/JTb - @AFP

Some other tweets of interest:

BREAKING: Witness says Kenya mall attackers told Muslims to leave, non-Muslims would be targeted - @AP

NEW DETAILS: Nairobi mall attackers armed with AK-47s and grenades targeted non-Muslims, witness says http://apne.ws/1gLshQy - @AP

BREAKING: Al Shabab confirms to Al Jazeera that it has claimed responsibility for the Westgate mall attack in Nairobi Kenya - @AJELive

#Westgate Mall attack in Kenya
- 39 killed
- 150 wounded
- al-Shabab claims responsibility
- Kenya president says he lost family - @AP

Canadian PM @pmharper on Kenya mall attack:
- 2 Canadians died, one a diplomat
http://bit.ly/18in6Gv #Westgate

In Iraq today

NEW 51 killed in bombing at Shiite funeral in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say - @AP

 

[JourneyRain]

I have been to Nairobi a few times and was even in a mall there. This was not the one I was at but so scary. The mall I was at had pretty tight security to get in but it was vulnerable if terrorists were able to get in. I have such a place in my heart for Nairobi. This is so sad.

 

[Flinders]

Travel advice from the Australian Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The DFAT Travel advisory for Kenya has been reissued and it warns Australians to exercise a high degree of caution and to keep clear of the Westgate mall area in Nairobi, and to follow the instructions of local authorities. The advisory also highlights reports that terrorist groups are continuing to plan attacks in Kenya in places frequented by westerners including in Nairobi and surrounding areas, and in Mombasa.
http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2013/jb_mr_130922.html

 

[Flinders]

Al-Shabab holds hostages in Kenya mall siege

Armed Somali group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack and ongoing siege of an upscale shopping mall in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that has left at least 39 people dead and 150 injured.

Kenyan security forces have arrested one of the gunmen who attacked the mall on Saturday, the Kenyan presidency said on Twitter. Gunmen are still holding an unknown number of hostages inside the mall.

The east African country's head of police, David Kimaiyo, said via Twitter that several other assailants had been pinned down after soldiers and police moved into the mall to hunt down the attackers.

On its own Twitter account, al-Shabab said there would be no negotiations with Kenyan officials over the standoff.

"10 hours have passed and the Mujahideen are still strong inside Westgate Mall and still holding their ground. All praise
is due to Allah!", the group wrote.

Kenyan troops have been fighting al-Shabab in Somalia, where the anti-government group is seeking to impose Islamic law and has carried out numerous attacks.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/09/2013921174856564470.html

 

[LadyL]

"All praise is due to Allah"

ummmmmm, not only is this not praiseworthy but Allah wants no part of your criminality

ugh, stupid terrorists

 

[Peliman]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kenyan military remained in a tense standoff with Islamic extremists Sunday, as the toll rose to 59 dead, including children, and 175 wounded in the attack at an upscale mall, a Kenyan minister said.

Multiple barrages of gunfire erupted Sunday morning from inside the building where hostages are being held by militants. The radicals attacked the mall Saturday and remained inside throughout the night.

“The priority is to save as many lives as possible,” Joseph Lenku said, reassuring the families of the hostages in the upscale Westgate mall. Kenyan forces have already rescued about 1,000 people, he said.

Ten to 15 attackers remain in the mall and Kenyan forces control the security cameras inside the shopping center, Lenku said.

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters at the mall that he has been told officials couldn’t determine the exact number of hostages inside the mall.

“There are quite a number of people still being held hostage on the third floor and the basement area where the terrorists are still in charge,” Odinga said.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/w...mall-attack/CmIErXkPMP8A9FCi6r4gbK/story.html

 

[Trident]

Awoonor was Ghana’s representative to the United Nations under the presidency of Jerry Rawlings from 1990 to 1994, and was also president of the Council of State, an advisory body to the president, under former president John Atta Mills. He stepped down from that role earlier this year.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/...man-kofi-awoonor-killed-in-kenya-mall-attack/

How odd.

 

[Sonya610]

Unless the government can figure out a way to gas them all (like the Russians did during the theater siege, and yes the gas killed many civilians too while Russian forces rushed in and popped rounds into the skulls of all the unconscious insurgents) there will likely be a large scale massacre. That probably wouldn't be practical because a mall likely has many rooms unlike a theater with one large area.

I wonder if the extremists have brought explosives, if they have control of the basement AND managed to get explosives in who knows what might happen. This sounds well planned and the insurgents KNOW they aren't getting out alive, I expect mass carnage and a whole lot of Government spin after the fact.

 

[Elley Mae]

Careful some pictures are GRAPHIC

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...own-number-hostages-trapped-Nairobi-mall.html

 

[Sonya610]

Careful some pictures are GRAPHIC

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...own-number-hostages-trapped-Nairobi-mall.html

The other site says 10-15 ATTACKERS still in the mall, number of hostages unknown.

Ten to 15 attackers remain in the mall and Kenyan forces control the security cameras inside the shopping center, Lenku said.

This article says 10-15 hostages still in the mall. Something isn't right there. Surely they have way more than one hostage per terrorist.

Ten to 15 people still trapped inside mall, according to the Kenyan interior minister

The Israeli special forces have also shown up to clean up the mess.

 

[i.b.nora]

Latest AP report:

"NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan police say a "major" assault by security forces has begun to end the two-day hostage crisis at a Nairobi mall, in which 68 people have died.

Kenya's Disaster Operation Center said late Sunday that "this will end tonight. Our forces will prevail."

Word of the Kenyan assault comes shortly after a large blast echoed from the mall, around the start of the operation.

Before the assault two helicopters hovered over the mall, skimming the roof. Al-Shabab militants reacted angrily to the helicopters on Twitter and said the Kenyan military action was endangering hostages."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/22/kenya-mall-explosion_n_3972234.html

 

[SilkySifaka]

I love KenyA and Nairobi, this is just heartbreaking. I hope they kill everyone of those terrorists

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Kenyan officials say assault to end siege begins

JASON STRAZIUSO, AP
44 minutes ago

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan security forces launched a "major" assault late Sunday on the upscale Nairobi mall where an unknown number of hostages are being held by al-Qaida-linked militants, in an operation officials said would end the two-day standoff that had already killed 68 people.

The assault, which began shortly before sundown, came as two helicopters circled the mall, with one skimming very close to the roof. A loud explosion rang, far larger than any previous grenade blast or gunfire volley.

Kenyan police said on Twitter that a "MAJOR" assault by security forces had started to end the two-day siege.

"This will end tonight. Our forces will prevail. Kenyans are standing firm against aggression, and we will win," Kenya's Disaster Operations Centre said on Twitter.

The assault came about 30 hours after 10 to 15 al-Shabab extremists stormed the mall from two sides, throwing grenades and firing on civilians...

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20130922/AF--Kenya-Mall.Attack/

 

[i.b.nora]

Most Nairobi Mall Hostages Rescued, Kenyan Army Says
Posted: 09/22/2013 5:02 pm EDT | Updated: 09/22/2013 5:10 pm EDT

The Kenyan army has tweeted that most hostages in the Nairobi mall standoff have been rescued and most of the complex secured, according to AFP:

see tweet

The Kenya Defense Forces Twitter account, which is unverified, tweeted the update at 3:28 p.m. EST:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/22/nairobi-mall-hostages-rescued_n_3972799.html?

 

[MsFacetious]

Military says most hostages freed, death toll climbs to 68

-----------------

Three of the alleged attackers are from the United States, two are from Somalia and there is one each from Canada, Finland, Kenya and the United Kingdom, according to the list.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/22/world/africa/kenya-mall-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t1