Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Updated: Kenya says 'defeated' mall militants, five dead, 11 held


Kenya's president said on Tuesday that his forces had "defeated" Islamists from Somalia's al Shabaab, had shot five of them dead and detained 11 others suspected of killing 67 people after storming a Nairobi shopping mall.

It remained unclear after Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation on television whether the four-day security operation at the upmarket Westgate centre was completely over, or whether any militants were still at large or hostages unaccounted for.

"We have ashamed and defeated our attackers," Kenyatta said, adding that bodies were still trapped under rubble following the collapse of part of the building late in the operation. A fire began on Monday which officials said was started by the gunmen.

Sixty-one civilians and six security personnel had been confirmed killed in the four days of bloodshed, Kenyatta said. Five of the attackers were shot dead and 11 suspects were in custody: "Kenya has stared down evil and triumphed," he said.

The president added that he could not confirm intelligence reports that a British woman and two or three Americans might be involved. Forensic scientists were involved in trying to identify the nationalities of the "terrorists", he said. Keep reading

Also see
New: Terror Group: Meet Our Demands or Kenya Mall Attack 'Only the Beginning'
New: Shebab threaten new attacks if Kenya stays in Somalia
New: Kenya's "Little Mogadishu" fears backlash after Shabaab attack
New: UK police officer testifies at UK terror case in Kenya
Kenya official: Several Americans among attackers
Terrorists Target Christians in Nairobi Mall, Killing More Than 60 Shoppers
Militant group says hostages alive in Kenya mall

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