NAIROBI: At least 62 persons have been killed and 200 others injured in an attack since Saturday by Somalia’s al-Shabab militants in the Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, while a rescue operation continues for local and foreign hostages still held inside the mall, Kenya’s military said.
Most of the hostages held by the militants have been freed, but another 63 persons are reportedly missing.
“Most of the hostages have been released, and the Kenya Defence Forces has taken control of most parts of the building, “Kenyan military spokesperson Colonel Cyrus Oguna said.
On the other hand, militants who have kept the mall under siege include three US citizens – two are reportedly from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and the other is from Kansas City, Missouri.
However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has not confirmed that US citizens are involved in the attack but it is investigating the claim.
A senior US State Department official told media that authorities are looking into the matter to determine whether any of the attackers are from the United States.
