Nairobi Mall Attack

Nairobi Mall Attack: Civilians Remain Hostages; Dozens Dead

 

A standoff that began with a shocking attack at Kenya's Westgate Mall Saturday is in its second day, with civilians held hostage by gunmen in the upscale shopping center.

The authorities say they have isolated the attackers. As of Sunday morning, Red Cross officials reported 59 deaths and at least 200 wounded in the assault, with 49 people still missing. We'll add news to this post as it emerges.

"The priority is to save as many lives as possible," Kenyan Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Lenku tells the AP. He said that about 1,000 people have been rescued since the standoff began.

Update at 9:40 a.m. ET: British Nationals Died In Attack

The violence in Nairobi has killed three British nationals, the U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office said Sunday. A spokesman from the office added, "The number of British Nationals confirmed as killed is likely to rise as further information becomes available."

British officials say "a rapid deployment team" has been sent from London to Nairobi to support the consulate.

Our original post continues:

Saturday's assault started with grenades that were thrown around lunchtime, the peak foot-traffic period, officials say. Panic then ensued, as gunmen began firing indiscriminately. Reports indicate that groups of gunmen attacked different areas simultaneously, in a coordinated strike. The attack has been celebrated by al-Shabab, a militant group based in Somalia, which claimed responsibility for the attack.

Lenku said the number of attackers is between 10 and 15. He did not estimate the number of hostages remaining in the mall. Kenyan officials say that on a normal weekend, about 10,000 people shop at the mall, which is popular among foreigners and the wealthy.

On Sunday, police and Kenyan Defense Forces troops patrolled the area outside the mall and tried to disperse crowds that had gathered in the streets adjacent to the building. For the second day in a row, officials released tear gas to move bystanders from the scene.

"Waiting ambulances are parked outside while sporadic gunfire can be heard coming from inside Westgate Mall," NPR's Gregory Warner reports from Nairobi. "Kenyan police said that the gunmen have been 'contained' but there are still hostages in unsecured locations. Special police forces are securing the building."

Gregory adds, "It's the deadliest terror attack in Nairobi since the U.S. Embassy bombings of 1998."

The attack met with widespread condemnation Sunday, with leaders of France, Britain, Canada and other nations offering their condolences and aid.

The violence has also touched the lives of those in power in Kenya. On Saturday, the country's President Uhuru Kenyatta told those who lost a loved one, "I know what you feel, having also personally lost very close family members in this attack." He did not provide further details.

And several Americans are among the wounded, according to the U.S. State Department.

"Although we have no reports of any Americans killed today, we have lost a member of our own State Department family," Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, "the wife of a foreign service national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development."