Kenyan military: many nationals involved in attacking mall
This from Associated Press
Kenya Chief of Defense forces General Julius Karangi said fighters
from an array of nations participated in the attack claimed by
al-Shabab, a Somali group allied with al-Qaida. "We have an idea who these people are and they are clearly a multinational collection from all over the world," he said. Karangi said Kenyan forces were in charge of all floors inside the mall, though terrorists could still be hiding inside. Earlier witness reports had indicated that a woman was among the
estimated 10 to 15 attackers. Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said
that instead some male attackers had dressed up like women.
Red Cross revise death toll downwards
After a mistake the Red Cross has revised the number of dead down to
62 bringing their figure in line with the government's tally.
APOLOGIES: The official Death Toll is 62: City Morgue 33, MP Shah 19, Lee 5, Aga Khan 2, Guru Nanak 2. Avenue Hosp ^PO — Kenya Red Cross (@KenyaRedCross) September 23, 2013
Updated
Kofi Awonoor tribute
Celebrated Ghanian singer Becca
has very kindly sent us her recollections and tribute of poet and
fellow countryman Kofi Anwonoor, who was killed this weekend during the
mall siege.
On the fifteenth August 2013 I left Nairobi to celebrate my birthday
with the Masaai a few hours drive away from the capital. My trip to
Kenya would have remained private but for this terror attack on the
Westgate mall in which I spent most of my lunch periods during the few
days that I stayed in Kenya. I never had the honour of meeting the now late, prof. Kofi Awonoor
but most west Africans, especially Ghanaians of my generation who were
educated under the West African Examination Council system of schooling
met Awonoor through his poem 'The Cathedral'. At that time and being students, I guess the main reason he got very
popular and loved was because his poem was a nine line, one verse,
masterpiece. Poems by Awonoor's contemporaries like Wole Soyinka and Leopold
Senghor, which we were tasked with committing to memory were lengthy and
by our standards then, not very ‘cool’. If only any of the bird-brained criminals who slayed our
distinguished professor had read ‘The Cathedral’, they would have had
the sense of appreciating the noble man’s stance on imported religion. Awonoor, born in 1935 in the Keta district of southern Ghana, fought
for the ‘African Cathedral’. But that nation has this weekend been
reduced beyond restoration by persons suspected to be followers from a
Cathedral of doom. Dramatist/Poet/Africanist and professor of the English language is passed to join his ancestors via a route most unimaginable. I Rebecca Acheampong (Becca), will always hail thy name.
The reported death of two attackers is reconfirmed by the Daily
Nation newspaper in their tweet below following a press conference where
the Kenyan interior cabinet secretary, Ole Lenku, was addressing
reporters.
Our graphics editor Paddy Allen has produced an interactive of the
Westgate mall siege which will be updated as we get more information. You can find it here. Interactive showing Westgate mall Photograph: /Paddy Allen
Two attackers killed government says
BREAKING Two mall attackers killed, others wounded by Kenya forces: minister — Agence France-Presse (@AFP) September 23, 2013
Another reporter detailing another possible cause for the plumes of smoke pouring from the top of Westgate:
Kenya government insists this plume of smoke rising from Westgate Mall was caused by terrorists burning mattresses pic.twitter.com/0cxJ7ndEz2 — Tristan McConnell (@t_mcconnell) September 23, 2013
Tear gas being fired to clear crowds around mall
Our reporter Guy Alexander has phoned with an update. Responding to rumours that other al-Shabaab units maybe joining and
hiding themselves amongst the crowds, Kenyan security services have
tried to clear onlookers and members of the public from around the mall,
he says. In doing this, they have fired tear gas creating even more
scenes of chaos. He also reports that the shooting has stopped but a towering plume of
black smoke is still rising from the mall. Alexander does not believe
that the smoke is related to security service action but instead
believes that a large explosion had come from inside the building. "It's not easing up," he added.
Updated
This appears to be a more detailed photo of the reported explosions at Westgate
As television images showed troops in camouflage running to new
positions, a Kenyan security official told Reuters that the explosion
was an attempt to enter the shopping mall.
It is us who caused the explosion, we are trying to get in through the roof.
Journalists and their cameras have been moved and no longer have a clear sight of the mall, but can see its perimeter.
Updated
Numerous reports of loud explosions are coming in including from Kenya's Daily Nation and others.
Panic at the #westgate triage centre as rumours sweep round about explosives &attackers. Hundreds of medics and journalists sprint for cover — Aislinn Laing (@Simmoa) September 23, 2013
After 20 minutes lying on
stomach in grass as security staff at triage race around, am told panic
was started by man who tried to grab a gun — Aislinn Laing (@Simmoa) September 23, 2013
Rashmi Shah,running the
Oshwal triage, said it's unclear what the man's intention was but he
didn't fire - shots came from mall,caused panic — Aislinn Laing (@Simmoa) September 23, 2013
Hostages not freed source says
Guy Alexander, our reporter currently in Nairobi, has just sent this update on the status of hostages:
A security official involved in the rescue efforts tells me that no
more hostages were rescued or released last night and none of the
attackers have been taken into custody. This appears to contradict a
bulletin from the Kenyan police that announced "most hostages" had been
released last night. Despite Kenyan authorities setting up a new Disaster Management Authority, in the wake of last month's Nairobi airport fire,
to coordinate all government agencies there is widespread confusion. So
far the interior ministry, the Kenyan police, and the armed forces have
put out competing statements on events at Westgate.
Updated
A child runs to safety as armed police hunt
gunmen who went on a shooting spree at Westgate shopping centre in
Nairobi September 21, 2013. Photograph: GORAN TOMASEVIC/REUTERS
This from the BBC's Karen Allen:
Moment of panic outside #westgate when feared one of the snipers had escaped from the mall. Journos and emergency crews dive for cover — Karen Allen (@BBCKarenAllen) September 23, 2013
Updated
Hostages not freed says AP newswire
There have been reports that most of the hostages in the mall had
been freed by earlier armed forces action. However AP are now reporting
that many have "not been released" despite earlier government
statements.
A person with knowledge of the rescue operation told AP that no
hostages had been released or rescued overnight. The person insisted on
anonymity in order to talk about the rescue response.
Death of Ghanaian poet
This first person account from the director of the Story Moja Hay Festival and flagged up by former colleague Stephen Khan
is worth a read. Poet Kofi Awoonor is now confirmed to be amongst those
found killed in the ongoing siege and the director's recollections of
his last talk are recounted below:
As we sipped wine and listened to African music, Kofi Awoonor and I
had a long and rather serious chat. He had just given a lecture at the
Nairobi University and was all jazzed up. He said Kenyans had given up
on believing in ourselves; he wanted Kenyans to thirst for power and
control... By 11.30am we heard that there was shooting in the mall and we were
assured that it was a robbery at the bank. As the day progressed, the
festival continued, the crowds swelled but reports of injuries and then
deaths began to reach us. By 2pm the helicopters were above us, and police and ambulance sirens
screamed down the highway. By 6pm we were in shock, 15 people were
reported dead at a location less than 3km away. We could account for all our authors but one, Kofi. We contacted
embassies, police, security anyone who might know something. By 6pm we
knew that Afetsi was injured and in hospital, and Kofi could not be
found... On Sunday morning it was confirmed that Kofi was among 65 dead. Africa has lost a great poet and the world is poorer.
Updated
Al Shabaab warn government forces not to take mall by force
This from Reuters who say that an al Shabaab spokesman has warned
that the Islamists would kill hostages if Kenyan security forces, who
are being assisted by Western and Israeli experts, tried to storm their
position:
"Israelis and Kenyan forces have tried to enter Westgate by force but
they could not," Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage said in an audio statement
posted online. "The mujahideen will kill the hostages if the enemies use
force."
Updated
Below is some grainy cell phone footage posted by CNN reported to be from inside the mall as shooting took place.
Hague court excuses Kenya deputy PM
This from AP news wire:
Judges at the International Criminal Court have excused Kenya's
deputy president from his crimes against humanity trial for a week so he
can return home to help deal with the mall hostage crisis. At a hastily arranged hearing early Monday, presiding Judge Chile
Eboe-Osuji said William Ruto could leave on a morning flight to Kenya. Ruto is on trial in The Hague charged with crimes against humanity
for allegedly orchestrating violence in the aftermath of Kenya's 2007
presidential election. He has pleaded not guilty.
You can find more on the back story to this development, here.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Guangyuan
(L) delivers condolences to a victim injured in shooting in the Westgate
shopping mall on September 21, 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya. Photograph:
Xinhua/Landov/Barcroft Media
Updated
Kenya Defense Forces soldiers react to
prepare for incoming fire at the Oshwal Centre adjacent to the Westgate
shopping mall in the early hours of 23 September 2013. Photograph:
DANIEL IRUNGU/EPA
Details of foreign dead
The biographies of those who have been killed in the siege are
emerging in greater detail. One of the most important hubs in sub
Saharan Africa, the Kenyan capital attracts tourists, merchants, aid
workers and diplomatic missions from around the globe. Unsurprisingly,
for an attack on a luxury retail complex, those killed have come from
many different countries. AP have compiled the latest details by country basis which we can not independently verify: INDIA Two Indians, 8-year-old Parmashu Jain and 40-year-old
Sridhar Natarajan, were killed, and four others were wounded in the
attack, an external affairs ministry spokesman said. BRITAIN At least three U.K. nationals were killed in the attack,
according to the Foreign Office, which warned the number of such
fatalities is "likely to rise as further information becomes available." FRANCE Two French women were killed, president Francois Hollande said. SOUTH AFRICA One South African citizen was killed, according to the country's international relations department. CANADA Two Canadians, including a diplomat, died in the attack,
according to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He paid tribute to the
victims and noted the loss of diplomat Annemarie Desloges, who served in
Canada's High Commission to Kenya as a liaison officer with the Canada
Border Services Agency. Her spouse Robert Munk was wounded in the
attack, but has since been released from the hospital, the Canadian
Press reported. GHANA Ghanaian poet Kofi Awoonor died after being injured in the
attack, the West African country's presidential office said. In addition
to his writings, Awoonor was a professor and served as an ambassador in
Brazil, Cuba and at the U.N. THE NETHERLANDS A 33-year-old Dutch woman died in the attack and
seven other Dutch citizens who were in the mall escaped unharmed,
Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said. The victim's identity wasn't
immediately released. CHINA A 38-year-old Chinese woman with the surname Zhou who worked
in the real estate industry was killed in the attack, China's official
Xinhua News Agency reported. Her son was injured in the attack and was
in stable condition in a hospital, according to the Chinese Embassy in
Kenya. U.S. Ruhila Adatia-Sood, wife of Ketan Sood, a foreign service
national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development in
Nairobi was killed, USAID said in a press statement. She was a popular
radio and TV personality in Kenya. Five American citizens were injured,
U.S. officials said. NEW ZEALAND Andrew McLaren, 34, a New Zealander who manages a
factory in Kenya for the avocado oil company Olivado, was wounded in the
attack, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. He was
hospitalzed in stable condition. AUSTRALIA A dual Australian-British citizen was killed,
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said. It was not
clear whether this victim was included among the Britons killed.
Updated
British PM, David Cameron has said he is returning to London to
chair an emergency meeting following the Kenya attack. He tweeted: "I'm
cutting short a visit to Balmoral to return to Downing Street to chair
COBRA late this afternoon, dealing with the Kenya terror attacks."
I'm cutting short a visit
to Balmoral to return to Downing St to chair COBRA late this afternoon,
dealing with the Kenya terror attacks. — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 23, 2013
Operation to take back Westgate mall has begun
Welcome to this live blog charting the second day of an ongoing
siege in a Nairobi mall. Understood to have been mounted by the Somali
based terror group, al Shabaab, the attack on the luxury shopping centre
has left scores dead and a mounting toll of injured which include
Kenyan soldiers who are currently attempting to take the premises back.
Hostages at the mall are believed now to be free though this is very difficult to verify completely.
Yesterday Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta revealed he had lost his nephew in the attack,
and declared his country "would not relent on the war on terror".
Barack Obama called Kenyatta to offer condolences and US support in
bringing the perpetrators to justice.
We will bring you the latest updates as they happen.
