There was mayhem in Nairobi as at least
22 people are reported to be dead and more than 50 injured as a gun fight
continues between police and armed men at a shopping centre in the Kenyan
capital. Some people were wheeled out on stretchers and in shopping trolleys by
security guards, while others were seen walking out of the building, clutching
bloodied clothing around their injuries.
A witness claimed gunmen told
Muslims to stand up and leave and that only non-Muslims would be targeted when
they opened fire at the upmarket mall of the Westlands district around midday
today.
Elijah Kamau, a witness, claimed the gunmen
had announced that they were targeting non-Muslims as they began their attack
at the centre.
Some of those who escaped were
'challenged to recite a Muslim prayer and were then let out', according to
Allan Sayers, who said he was in the Westgate mall five minutes before the
attack.
Locals and tourists who were out
shopping on the sunny Saturday in Kenya ran screaming from the building and
cars were left abandoned as attackers threw grenades and fired AK47s.
Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary
General Abbas Guled said: 'The casualties are many, and that's only what we
have on the outside. Inside there are even more casualties and shooting is
still going on.'
Armed police arrived on the scene nearly half an hour later and could be heard shouting 'get out, get out' as scores of shoppers fled the building.
Somali militant group al-Shabaab had
earlier threatened to strike the mall, as it is a popular destination for the
city’s expatriate community.
The Somali's rebel group Al-Shabab
vowed in late 2011 to carry out a large-scale attack in Nairobi in retaliation
for Kenya's sending of troops into Somalia to fight the Islamic insurgents.
One victim said that he had been
shot by a man who appeared to be Somali, while others noted the gunmen were
speaking in a foreign language.
However, no one has yet to claim
responsibility for the assault. See pictures and video after the cut..
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