Several blasts near Kenyan mall

Written By Unknown on Senin, 23 September 2013 | 22.40

An operation to rescue hostages in a Nairobi shopping mall appears to be under way, after black smoke was seen rising from the building and several blasts were heard in the area.

On the third day of the siege, troops were seen in camouflage running to new positions, while an armoured personal carrier was also seen shifting position.

Journalists and their cameras have been moved and no longer have a clear sight of the mall, but can see its perimeter.

"It is us who caused the explosion, we are trying to get in through the roof," one security official, who asked not to be named, said.

There was no official comment.

A Somali Islamist group has said militants holding hostages at the shopping mall will kill all the hostages if force is used against them.

Heavy and sustained gunfire has been heard at the mall, where at least 62 people have been killed.

The Kenyan Embassy has confirmed that the son of the former Kenyan Ambassador to Ireland, Catherine Muigai Mwangi, and his fiancée are among the dead.

Kenya's police chief said that more hostages had been rescued overnight.

A witness at the scene earlier reported hearing heavy and sustained gunfire for about five minutes this morning.

The blast of gunfire was followed by a lull, and then a series of small, sporadic explosions occurred.

Kenya's military earlier said on its Twitter feed that it was making every effort to bring the siege "to a speedy conclusion".

When asked about the gunfire, Kenya's military spokesman Colonel Cyrus Oguna said he could not comment.

Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Abbass Gullet confirmed that there was fighting going on in the mall.

Last night, Col Oguna said there had been an operation under way since early yesterday.

Troops stormed the upmarket Westgate mall on Saturday afternoon.

Col Oguna said most of those trapped in the complex were free.

"Most of the hostages have been released, and the Kenya Defence Forces has taken control of most parts of the building," he told local station KTN, giving no details.

He told Sky News late last night: "A large number of hostages have been rescued since this morning."

He made no mention of killing or capturing militants, but said commanders hoped to end the operation "very, very soon".

Reuters journalists outside the mall heard only very occasional gunfire and an explosion.

There was no clear word on the fate of people said to be held by a dozen or so gunmen in a supermarket.


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