Kenyan special forces were today locked in a
fight to the death with Islamic terrorists who
have been barricaded inside a Nairobi mall
with up to 40 hostages since Saturday.
Witnesses described hearing four large
explosions at the Westgate Shopping Centre
followed by fierce gun fire after the military
tried to break the three day siege by gaining
access from the roof.
It is feared that some of the gunmen inside
may have blown themselves up, though a
Kenyan government minister said that
militants had set fire to some mattresses in a
supermarket as a decoy.
Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said that
two of the terrorists had be
n killed and that most hostages were now
free. All of the militants were men, he
added, although some were dressed as
women. So far, 69 people have been
confirmed dead including four Britons. At
least 175 were injured, including children.
The names of the terrorists as published by
Al Shabaab HSM twitter account which has
taken responsibility for the attack are
Ahmed Nasir Shirdoon, 24, from London,
UK;
Gen Mustafe Noorduiin, 27, from Kansas
City, U.S.,
Abdifatah Osman Keenadiid, 24, from
Minneapolis, U.S.,
Ahmed Mohamad Isse, 22, from Saint
Paul, U.S;
Ismael Guled, 23, from Finland;
Abdirizak Mouled, 24, from Ontario,
Canada;
Zaki Jama Caraale, 20, and Sayid Nuh, 25,
both from Somalia.
